daai6 sai2 daai6 sik6使

Jyutpingdaai6 sai2 daai6 sik6
Yaledaih sái daih sikh

Definition

Waste money and waste food

colloquialfoodmoney

How it's used

This idiom specifically targets the dual habit of spending money recklessly and wasting food or resources. It carries a strong tone of disapproval, often used by elders to scold younger people for lacking discipline or appreciation for what they have. Unlike simple words for wastefulness, this phrase paints a vivid picture of someone who lacks restraint in both their wallet and their kitchen.

Examples

nei5 maai5 gam3 do1 je5 sik6 jau6 sik6 m4 saai3 zan1 hai6 daai6 sai2 daai6 sik6 aa4
你買咁多嘢食又食唔晒,真係大使大食呀。
You bought so much food and couldn't finish it, you are really wasteful.
keoi5 ping4 si4 daai6 sai2 daai6 sik6 gwaan3 zo2 hou2 naan4 goi2 gaa4
佢平時大使大食慣咗,好難改㗎。
He is used to being wasteful with money and food, it is hard to change.

Common phrases

goi2 diu6 daai6 sai2 daai6 sik6 ge3 zaap6 gwaan3
改掉大使大食嘅習慣
break the habit of being wasteful

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with simply being expensive or high-cost. It describes the behavior of a person who is wasteful, not the price of an item itself.

Tone guide

T1High level
T2High rising
T3Mid level
T4Low falling
T5Low rising
T6Low level
大使大食 (daai6 sai2 daai6 sik6): waste money and waste food | Cantonese Dictionary | YumCha