jam1 gon1陰乾阴干
Jyutpingjam1 gon1
Yaleyām gōn
Definition
To dry in the shade; to let someone or something decline and disappear through neglect.
- to dry something in the shade without direct sunlight
- figurativeto let something decline and disappear by cutting resources and neglecting it
colloquialworkother
How it's used
Originally referring to the process of drying herbs or clothes in the shade rather than direct sunlight, this term has evolved into a common metaphor for corporate or political sabotage. It describes a passive aggressive strategy where resources are slowly cut off to force a person or project to fail naturally. It carries a strong sense of deliberate, cold-blooded neglect rather than an immediate or direct confrontation.
Examples
The company wants to phase out the department, so they keep refusing to hire anyone.
Related words
Common phrases
slowly phase out
to let a project die through neglect
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe literal drying of laundry or food in the shade, as the metaphorical usage is now so dominant that it will sound like you are accusing someone of sabotage.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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.
