duk6 tan1獨吞独吞
Jyutpingduk6 tan1
Yaleduhk tān
Definition
To take exclusive possession of something; to keep all of a shared property for oneself without consent.
colloquialmoneyfood
How it's used
This term carries a strong negative connotation of greed or selfishness. It implies that the items in question were meant to be shared or distributed among a group, but one person has unilaterally decided to keep them all. It is frequently used in contexts involving money, food, or credit for work.
Examples
He actually wants to keep all the prize money for himself.
Why did you eat the whole cake by yourself?
Related words
Common phrases
to monopolize the benefits
to take all the credit
Common mistake
Do not use this for simply eating or taking something alone if it was meant for you in the first place. It specifically requires the element of depriving others of their fair share.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
