hyut3 bun2 mou4 gwai1血本無歸血本无归
Jyutpinghyut3 bun2 mou4 gwai1
Yalehyut bún mòuh gwāi
Definition
To lose all or most of one's hard-earned savings, capital, or investment.
colloquialmoney
How it's used
This idiom carries a heavy emotional weight, implying that the loss is not just financial but also a personal tragedy involving hard work. It is typically reserved for situations involving significant investments, business failures, or reckless gambling where the loss is total or near total. Unlike simple phrases for losing money, it emphasizes the pain of seeing one's life savings vanish.
Examples
His investment failed, and he lost every penny.
If you gamble like that, you will end up losing everything sooner or later.
Related words
Common phrases
to lose all capital in an investment
to end up losing everything
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe losing small amounts of money, like losing a wallet on the street or paying for an overpriced meal. It specifically refers to the loss of capital or substantial savings that were intended to grow.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
