hung1 tau4 zi1 piu3空頭支票空头支票
Jyutpinghung1 tau4 zi1 piu3
Yalehūng tàuh jī piu
Definition
A bad cheque; also used figuratively to describe an empty or unfulfillable promise.
- bad cheque; bounced cheque; dishonoured cheque
- figurativeempty promise; unfulfillable promise
colloquialmoneycommunication
How it's used
Beyond the literal banking context, this is a very common metaphor for someone who makes grand promises they have no intention or ability to keep. It carries a strong sense of betrayal or frustration, implying that the person is untrustworthy. Using it to describe a person's behavior is a sharp way to call out their lack of integrity.
Measure word
zoeng1張jēungExamples
He gave me a bad cheque, I couldn't get any money at all.
Related words
Common phrases
to write a bad cheque or to make an empty promise
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal blank cheque, which would be 空白支票. Remember that the focus here is on the lack of funds or the lack of sincerity in a promise.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
