jau4 seoi2油水
Jyutpingjau4 seoi2
Yaleyàuh séui
Definition
Profit, personal advantage, or illicit gains.
colloquialmoneywork
How it's used
Refers specifically to illicit or extra gains obtained through one's position or influence, rather than a formal salary. It carries a strong negative connotation of corruption or taking advantage of a situation. It is rarely used to describe legitimate business profits or honest earnings.
Examples
This job doesn't seem to have much profit in it.
He is always thinking about skimming profits from the company.
Related words
Common phrases
to skim profits
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a regular paycheck or a legitimate business profit, as it implies a lack of integrity or a shady deal.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
