gaai1 sou3街數街数
Jyutpinggaai1 sou3
Yalegāai sou
Definition
Debt; outstanding money owed to banks or other people.
colloquialmoney
How it's used
Carries a slightly informal or even seedy connotation, often implying personal debts to friends, loan sharks, or acquaintances rather than formal bank loans. It frequently appears in contexts involving gambling or reckless spending, suggesting a situation that has spiraled out of control.
Measure word
bat1筆bātExamples
He owes so much debt that he had to run away.
How much debt do you still have left to pay back?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to refer to formal business liabilities or mortgage payments, as it specifically highlights the informal and often problematic nature of owing money to individuals.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
