hoi1 jyun4 zit3 lau4開源節流开源节流
Jyutpinghoi1 jyun4 zit3 lau4
Yalehōi yùhn jit làuh
Definition
To broaden sources of income and reduce expenditure; to increase revenue and cut costs.
neutralmoneywork
How it's used
This idiom is a formal, four character expression that is frequently used in business, government, or household financial planning contexts. Despite its literary structure, it is widely understood and used in spoken Cantonese when discussing serious financial management. It functions as a single verbal unit that implies a strategic, long term approach to fiscal health rather than just a quick fix.
Examples
The company must broaden income and cut costs if it wants to make more money.
Related words
Common phrases
actively broaden sources of income and reduce expenditure
through broadening sources of income and reducing expenditure
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.
