lau4 bei6 ze3 ging1 zau1劉備借荊州刘备借荆州
Jyutpinglau4 bei6 ze3 ging1 zau1
Yalelàuh beih je gīng jāu
Definition
An expression meaning "something borrowed is not going to be returned".
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
This is a classic Cantonese xiehouyu, a two-part allegorical saying where the second part is often omitted once the listener is familiar with the context. It specifically targets the act of borrowing something with no intention of returning it, rather than just a simple delay. Using this phrase adds a layer of historical irony to a complaint about a friend's untrustworthiness regarding borrowed items.
Examples
You have borrowed my book for so long without returning it, it's like Liu Bei borrowing Jingzhou.
Related words
Common phrases
borrowed once and never returned
Common mistake
Learners often forget that the phrase is incomplete without the implication of the second half, 一借冇回頭. If you only say the first part, ensure your tone conveys the frustration of someone who knows the item is gone for good.
Grammar color guide
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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.
