gan6 seoi2 lau4 toi4近水樓台近水楼台

Jyutpinggan6 seoi2 lau4 toi4

Yalegahn séui làuh tòih

Definition

To have convenient access or be in a highly favorable position to gain special advantages.

colloquialpeopleother

How it's used

This idiom describes a situation where someone gains an advantage simply by being physically or socially closer to a resource or decision maker. It is often used to explain why someone got a promotion, a discount, or inside information. The full phrase is often shortened to just the first four characters, which are sufficient to convey the meaning in most contexts.

Examples

keoi5佢喺hai2公gung1司si1做zou6嘢，je5近gan6水seoi2樓lau4台toi4先sin1得dak1月jyut6呀。

He works at the company, so he has the advantage of being close to the action.

Common phrases

gan6近seoi2水lau4樓toi4台sin1先dak1得jyut6月

the pavilion near the water gets the moonlight first

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a literal description of a building near water, but it is almost exclusively used metaphorically to describe social or professional proximity. Do not use it to describe actual real estate locations.