cau1 hau6 syun3 zoeng3秋後算帳秋后算帐
Jyutpingcau1 hau6 syun3 zoeng3
Yalechāu hauh syun jeung
Definition
To settle scores later; to retaliate or call someone to account after the event.
- to settle scores later; to retaliate or call someone to account after the event
- literaryto square accounts after the autumn harvest
colloquialpeoplework
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of premeditated retribution or delayed punishment. It is frequently used in workplace or political contexts to describe someone who waits for a convenient moment to retaliate against a past transgression. Unlike simple revenge, it implies a calculated delay to ensure the target is vulnerable.
Examples
Don't think he has forgotten, he will definitely settle the score later.
After doing this, will the boss come back to settle the score with us?
Related words
Common phrases
worry about being settled with later
afraid of being held accountable later
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal financial term. It is almost exclusively used metaphorically to describe interpersonal or organizational conflict, not actual accounting or business bookkeeping.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
