gwaa1 fan1瓜分
Jyutpinggwaa1 fan1
Yalegwā fān
Definition
To partition, divide, and occupy something, most commonly territory.
neutralmoneyother
How it's used
Primarily used in formal or historical contexts regarding territory, but it has evolved to describe the aggressive carving up of markets, profits, or assets. It carries a negative connotation of greed or forced division, implying that the parties involved are taking pieces for their own benefit rather than sharing fairly.
Examples
The brothers partitioned their father's inheritance among themselves.
Are these people trying to carve up this market?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this for simple division like cutting a cake or splitting a bill, as those require 分 or 平分. Using it in a casual context often makes the speaker sound like they are describing a hostile takeover or a conspiracy.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
