gei3 sang1 cung4寄生蟲寄生虫
Jyutpinggei3 sang1 cung4
Yalegei sāng chùhng
Definition
A parasite, or a lazy person who depends on others.
- a parasite; an organism that lives on or in a host
- figurativea freeloader; a person who depends on others and refuses to make an effort
colloquialpeoplehealth
How it's used
Beyond the biological sense, this term is frequently used as a harsh insult for people who live off the labor of others. It carries a strong negative connotation of laziness and lack of personal responsibility. When used metaphorically, it is often paired with words like 社會 or 屋企 to emphasize the burden placed on the community or family unit.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
It is easy to get parasites from eating raw meat, you really need to be careful.
Related words
Common phrases
social parasite
Common mistake
Do not confuse the biological meaning with the colloquial way of calling someone lazy. While it is a common insult, it is quite offensive and implies that the person is completely useless and exploitative.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
