jat1 pan4 jyu4 sai2一貧如洗一贫如洗

Jyutpingjat1 pan4 jyu4 sai2

Yaleyāt pàhn yùh sái

形容詞

Definition

Penniless; dirt poor; in extreme poverty with nothing left.

colloquialmoneydescriptions

How it's used

This idiom carries a literary and slightly dramatic tone, often used to emphasize a state of total destitution rather than just being temporarily short on cash. While it describes a lack of money, it is frequently employed in a hyperbolic way to describe someone who has lost everything due to gambling or bad luck. It is more descriptive and formal than the common colloquial way of saying 窮到燶.

Examples

keoi5佢syu1輸saai3晒di1啲cin2錢，ji4而gaa1家zan1真hai6係jat1一pan4貧jyu4如sai2洗。

He lost all his money and is now completely broke.

nei5你ji5以wai4為keoi5佢hou2好jau5有cin2錢？kei4其sat6實keoi5佢jat1一pan4貧jyu4如sai2洗㗎。

Do you think he is rich? Actually, he is penniless.

Common phrases

cit3徹dai2底jat1一pan4貧jyu4如sai2洗

completely destitute

Common mistake

Learners often use this to mean simply having no cash in their wallet at the moment, but it is better reserved for situations of severe financial hardship or total loss of assets.