jin6 dau1 dau1現兜兜现兜兜
Jyutpingjin6 dau1 dau1
Yaleyihn dāu dāu
Definition
In cold hard cash; used to emphasize that something was bought with one's own money.
colloquialmoney
How it's used
Emphasizes the physical presence of cash during a transaction, often to prove legitimacy or to highlight the personal cost involved. It carries a slightly dramatic tone, suggesting that the speaker wants to make it clear that no credit cards, installments, or illicit means were used. It is frequently used when someone is accused of stealing or receiving an item as a gift, serving as a verbal receipt of sorts.
Examples
I paid several thousand dollars in cold hard cash for this phone.
Are you paying for it with cold hard cash?
Related words
Common phrases
to pay in cold hard cash
to buy with cold hard cash
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe digital payments or bank transfers, as the term specifically evokes the physical act of handing over paper money. It is strictly for cash transactions.
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.
