jat1 man4一文
Jyutpingjat1 man4
Yaleyāt màhn
Definition
One dollar, or a tiny amount of money.
- one dollar
- figurativea very small amount of money
colloquialmoney
How it's used
Refers to a single dollar as a symbolic representation of a very small, often negligible, amount of money. It is frequently used in negative constructions to emphasize extreme poverty or the trivial cost of an item. While technically referring to one unit of currency, it functions more as an idiom for 'pennies' or 'nothing at all'.
Examples
He does not even have a dollar, how can he take the bus?
Related words
Common phrases
worthless
Common mistake
Do not use this to refer to a specific one dollar coin in a formal transaction, as it carries a more idiomatic and dismissive tone. Using it to describe a precise price in a professional setting can sound overly casual or even rude.
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.
