gam1 sik6金食
Jyutpinggam1 sik6
Yalegām sihk
Definition
To commit suicide by swallowing gold.
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How it's used
This term is almost exclusively found in historical contexts or period dramas rather than modern life. It refers to the historical method of swallowing gold leaf or gold objects, which was once considered a noble or dramatic way to end one's life. It carries a heavy, literary weight and is rarely used to describe actual contemporary events.
Examples
People in period dramas are always committing suicide by eating gold.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with general suicide terms like 自殺, as this is a specific, archaic method. Using it in a modern context will sound extremely strange or overly theatrical.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
