lak6 sat6 fu3 tau4 daai2勒實褲頭帶勒实裤头带

Jyutpinglak6 sat6 fu3 tau4 daai2

Yalelahk saht fu tàuh dáai

Definition

To tighten one's belt; to save money and live frugally.

colloquialmoney

How it's used

This idiom functions as a metaphorical way to describe austerity or extreme frugality. It is frequently used when someone is forced to cut back on non-essential spending due to financial hardship or a sudden loss of income. While it sounds slightly dramatic, it is a very common way to express the need for strict budgeting in daily life.

Examples

gan6呢paai4排ging1經zai3濟m4唔hou2好，ngo5我dei6哋dou1都jiu3要lak6勒sat6實fu3褲tau4頭daai2帶gwo3過jat6日zi2子。

The economy is bad lately, we all need to tighten our belts to get by.

nei5你zung6仲maai5買gam3咁do1多saam1衫？zan1真hai6係jiu3要lak6勒sat6實fu3褲tau4頭daai2帶laa3喇。

You're still buying so many clothes? You really need to start saving money.

Common phrases

lak6勒sat6實fu3褲tau4頭daai2帶gwo3過jat6日zi2子

tighten one's belt to get by

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with literal actions, as it is strictly an idiom for financial management. Using it to describe actual physical clothing adjustments will cause confusion.