gaau1 hok6 fai3交學費交学费

Jyutpinggaau1 hok6 fai3

Yalegāau hohk fai

動詞

Definition

To pay the cost of acquiring a skill or knowledge; to pay one's dues or learn a lesson from an experience.

colloquialschoolwork

How it's used

Beyond literal school fees, this expression is a common metaphorical way to describe the inevitable cost of gaining experience. It frames a mistake or a loss as a necessary investment for future wisdom. It is frequently used to console someone who has failed, suggesting that their loss was not in vain but a purchase of valuable insight.

Examples

ni1呢ci3次tau4投zi1資sit6蝕zo2咗cin2錢，dong3當gaau1交hok6學fai3費laa1啦。

I lost money on this investment, just treat it as a lesson learned.

nei5你jau6又m4唔teng1聽jan4人hyun3勸，hai6係mai6咪soeng2想gaau1交hok6學fai3費aa4呀？

You aren't listening to advice again, do you want to learn the hard way?

Common phrases

dong1當hai6係gaau1交hok6學fai3費

treat it as a lesson learned

gaau1交zo2咗hok6學fai3費

already paid the price for the lesson

Common mistake

Do not use this to refer to actual tuition payments in a formal or administrative context, as that would be confusing. It is strictly used for the figurative sense of paying for a lesson through failure or loss.