fai1 gam1 jyu4 tou2揮金如土挥金如土
Jyutpingfai1 gam1 jyu4 tou2
Yalefāi gām yùh tóu
Definition
To spend money like water; to be extremely extravagant and wasteful.
writtenmoney
How it's used
Carries a strong negative connotation of being reckless or irresponsible with wealth. It is an idiom that functions as a verb phrase, often used to criticize someone's lack of financial discipline rather than just describing a high level of spending. It implies a sense of moral judgment regarding the wastefulness of the behavior.
Examples
He is always extravagant, how could he possibly save any money?
Even if you have money, don't be extravagant; you need to learn to be frugal.
Related words
Common phrases
to live an extravagant lifestyle
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for simply meaning to spend a lot of money, but it specifically emphasizes the wastefulness and lack of care, making it inappropriate to use when describing someone who is wealthy but spends money wisely.
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.
