dou1 zai2 goe3 daai6 syu6刀仔鋸大樹刀仔锯大树
Jyutpingdou1 zai2 goe3 daai6 syu6
Yaledōu jái geu daaih syuh
Definition
To use a small amount of capital to make a big profit; to risk a little to win a lot.
colloquialmoney
How it's used
This idiom highlights the contrast between a minimal starting point and an ambitious, often disproportionate, outcome. It is frequently used in business or investment contexts to describe high risk, high reward strategies. The imagery of a small knife tackling a massive tree emphasizes the audacity and potential absurdity of such an endeavor.
Examples
He wants to start a business with just a few thousand dollars, that's really trying to make a big profit from a small investment.
Do you really think you can make a huge profit with such a small investment using this method?
Related words
Common phrases
to want to make a big profit from a small investment
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being frugal or saving money. It specifically implies a speculative attempt to gain a large return from a very small initial resource.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
