duk6 sik6 naan4 fei4獨食難肥独食难肥
Jyutpingduk6 sik6 naan4 fei4
Yaleduhk sihk nàahn fèih
Definition
It is difficult to prosper by being selfish; sharing and collaboration lead to better results.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
This proverb functions as a social warning against greed or hoarding resources. It suggests that true prosperity or long term growth requires collaboration rather than isolation. While it literally references physical weight, it is almost exclusively used in professional or social contexts to advocate for generosity and partnership.
Examples
You need to find partners for business, as keeping everything to yourself rarely leads to success.
Related words
Common phrases
a person who keeps everything to themselves will not prosper
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
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.
