gwai3 lei2貴利贵利
Jyutpinggwai3 lei2
Yalegwai léi
Definition
Usury, loan sharking, or a loan shark.
- usury; high-interest lending as a business
- a loan shark; a high-interest lender
colloquialmoney
How it's used
Refers specifically to predatory lending practices rather than formal banking loans. It carries a strong negative connotation and is often associated with illegal activities or organized crime. People use this term to warn others about the extreme financial danger of falling into debt traps.
Examples
He borrowed from a loan shark and is now being chased for payment very aggressively.
You must never go borrow from loan sharks, the interest is ridiculous.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with standard bank loans or borrowing money from friends. The term is strictly reserved for usurious, often illicit, lending schemes.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
