faa1 lei6花利

Jyutpingfaa1 lei6

Yalefā leih

名詞

Definition

Tips or gratuities, commonly used in North America.

colloquialmoney

How it's used

While widely understood in the Cantonese diaspora, particularly in North America, it is less common in everyday Hong Kong than the loanword 貼士. Using this term often signals a connection to overseas Chinese communities or a slightly older generation. It functions as a noun and is treated like any other monetary gift or bonus.

Measure word

fan2份fán

Examples

nei5你gei3記dak1得bei3畀di1啲faa1花lei6利go2嗰go3個si6侍jing3應aa4呀。

Remember to give the waiter a tip.

nei1呢dou6度sik6食faan6飯sai2使m4唔sai2使bei3畀faa1花lei6利㗎？

Do I need to leave a tip for the meal here?

Common phrases

bei3畀faa1花lei6利

to give a tip

sau1收faa1花lei6利

to receive a tip

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 利是, which refers specifically to a red packet given during festivals or special occasions. Using 花利 to describe a red packet will cause confusion as it strictly refers to gratuity or service tips.