gaak3 saan1 maai5 ngau4隔山買牛隔山买牛
Jyutpinggaak3 saan1 maai5 ngau4
Yalegaak sāan máaih ngàuh
Definition
To buy something sight unseen; to make a purchase without seeing the goods beforehand.
colloquialshoppingmoney
How it's used
This idiom is frequently applied to modern contexts like online shopping or speculative investments where the buyer lacks direct access to the product. It carries a strong connotation of caution or skepticism regarding the quality or authenticity of the purchase. It is rarely used in formal business writing, functioning best as a warning in casual conversation.
Examples
Online shopping is risky because you cannot see the item, and you might find it is not as described upon arrival.
Related words
Common phrases
very high risk
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe buying something that is simply expensive or rare. It specifically highlights the lack of physical inspection or verification before the transaction is finalized.
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.
