hek3 lou5 bun2吃老本
Jyutpinghek3 lou5 bun2
Yalehek lóuh bún
Definition
To live off one's past achievements, savings, or success.
colloquialworkmoney
How it's used
This phrase carries a strong sense of criticism or disappointment, implying that someone is lazy or lacking innovation. It is frequently used in professional or creative contexts to describe someone who has stopped progressing and is merely relying on their previous reputation or savings. The term is metaphorical, suggesting that one is consuming their original capital rather than generating new income.
Related words
Common phrases
to live off one's past glory
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of retirement savings, but it is almost exclusively used in a figurative, negative sense to criticize a lack of current effort.
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.
