ciu4 zau1 jam1 ngok6潮州音樂潮州音乐
Jyutpingciu4 zau1 jam1 ngok6
Yalechìuh jāu yām ngohk
Definition
Everyone for themselves, from a pun on the sound of the Chiu Chow suona.
colloquialother
How it's used
This is a classic Cantonese xiehouyu, or two-part allegorical saying, where the second part is omitted. It relies on the phonetic similarity between the high-pitched, repetitive sound of the suona in traditional Chiu Chow music and the Cantonese phrase zi6 gei2 gu3 zi6 gei2. It is used to criticize a lack of teamwork or a selfish environment where individuals only look after their own interests.
Examples
They work in a 'Chiu Chow music' way, with no one helping each other.
Everyone in this company is 'Chiu Chow music', how can we collaborate?
Related words
Common phrases
Chiu Chow music, everyone for themselves
Common mistake
Do not use this term in a literal sense when discussing actual music, as it will cause confusion. It is strictly a metaphorical expression for selfishness or lack of cooperation.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
