jyun5 faan6軟飯软饭
Jyutpingjyun5 faan6
Yaleyúhn faahn
Definition
To sponge off a woman; to be financially supported by a woman.
colloquialpeoplemoney
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the act of a man relying financially on a female partner, often implying a lack of ambition or self-respect. The phrase is inherently derogatory and carries a strong social stigma. It is almost exclusively used to describe men, making it a gendered insult in local culture.
Examples
He never works and only knows how to sponge off his girlfriend.
Do you really think he wants to live off a woman?
Related words
Common phrases
to sponge off a woman
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is simply unemployed or poor, as it specifically implies a parasitic relationship with a woman. Using it to describe a woman living off a man is incorrect and would be confusing to native speakers.
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.
