jat1 zaak6 cin1 gam1一擲千金一掷千金
Jyutpingjat1 zaak6 cin1 gam1
Yaleyāt jaahk chīn gām
Definition
To spend money lavishly; to spend money like water.
colloquialmoney
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of extravagance and often implies a lack of restraint or even recklessness. While it originates from gambling contexts, it is now used broadly to describe anyone who spends large sums of money in a single go, regardless of whether the purchase is necessary or luxury. It is more descriptive and vivid than simply saying someone is大洗.
Examples
He really spends money like water when shopping, never even looking at the price.
Do you think you're a billionaire? Why are you throwing money around like that?
Related words
Common phrases
a lavish lifestyle
to spend lavishly for the sake of face
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this to mean someone who is simply rich, but it specifically describes the act of spending, not the state of having wealth. It is also a formal idiom, so using it in very casual, everyday situations might sound slightly dramatic or sarcastic.
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.
