gwo3 seoi2 sap1 goek3過水濕腳过水湿脚
Jyutpinggwo3 seoi2 sap1 goek3
Yalegwo séui sāp geuk
Definition
To embezzle or pocket money while handling funds for others.
slangmoneywork
How it's used
This idiom literally describes the act of getting one's feet wet while passing through water. It implies that when someone is tasked with handling or transferring funds, they take a small portion for themselves as a personal gain. It is almost exclusively used in the context of financial corruption or petty theft within a professional or organizational setting.
Examples
He embezzled money while working as an accountant and got caught.
Don't even think about skimming off the top, the company's audits are very strict.
Related words
Common phrases
the act of embezzlement
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being clumsy or getting wet. It is a specific metaphor for corruption and carries a strong negative connotation of dishonesty, so it should never be used to describe legitimate handling of money.
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.
