gai1 bei2 daa2 jan4 ngaa4 gaau3 jyun5雞髀打人牙骹軟鸡髀打人牙骹软
Jyutpinggai1 bei2 daa2 jan4 ngaa4 gaau3 jyun5
Yalegāi béi dá yàhn ngàh gaau yúhn
Definition
To soften someone's stance or win them over by offering them benefits, gifts, or a feast.
colloquialpeoplefood
How it's used
This idiom describes the strategy of using small favors or gifts to make someone more compliant or less likely to refuse a request. It relies on the imagery of a delicious chicken leg making one's jaw go soft, implying that a person who has just enjoyed a benefit finds it difficult to be firm or say no. It is often used to describe subtle bribery or social engineering in professional and personal contexts.
Examples
He is treating us to a meal because he wants to butter us up.
Do you think you can win someone over just by giving them gifts?
Common phrases
intending to butter someone up
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe genuine generosity or kindness, as the phrase carries a cynical undertone of manipulation. It is specifically about leveraging a favor to soften someone's resistance.
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.
