gu1 hon4 zung2孤寒種孤寒种
Jyutpinggu1 hon4 zung2
Yalegū hòhn júng
Definition
A very stingy or miserly person.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
This term carries a strong sense of disdain and is used to label someone who is pathologically cheap. While 孤寒 describes the trait of being stingy, adding 種 turns it into a noun phrase that attacks the person's character as if stinginess were in their DNA. It is much more aggressive than simply calling someone 孤寒.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He is such a stingy person, he won't even pay for someone's drink for a few dollars.
Why are you being such a miser? You aren't even willing to treat people to a meal.
Related words
Common phrases
a total miser
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe someone who is just careful with money or frugal, as it implies a selfish refusal to spend even when it is expected or appropriate. It is a personal insult rather than a neutral description of spending habits.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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.
