kung4 gwong1 daan2窮光蛋穷光蛋
Jyutpingkung4 gwong1 daan2
Yalekùhng gwōng dáan
Definition
A penniless person; a poor wretch.
colloquialpeoplemoney
How it's used
Carries a strong sense of mockery or self-deprecation when describing someone who has lost all their wealth. It is rarely used in a neutral or sympathetic way, so avoid using it to describe someone you genuinely respect or wish to help. The term focuses specifically on the state of having zero assets rather than just being low-income.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
He spends money recklessly all the time; he will end up a poor wretch sooner or later.
Don't look down on people just because they are poor; they have a lot of ambition.
Related words
Common phrases
to become a pauper
damn poor person
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is simply struggling financially or living on a budget. It implies a state of total destitution or extreme financial failure, making it quite offensive if used to label someone directly in conversation.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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.
