m4 zou6 zung1 m4 zou6 bou2 m4 zou6 mui4 jan2 saam1 doi6 hou2唔做中唔做保唔做媒人三代好
Jyutpingm4 zou6 zung1 m4 zou6 bou2 m4 zou6 mui4 jan2 saam1 doi6 hou2
Yalem̀h jouh jūng m̀h jouh bóu m̀h jouh mùih yán sāam doih hóu
Definition
Advice against acting as a middleman, guarantor, or matchmaker to avoid trouble for three generations.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
This proverb serves as a piece of traditional wisdom regarding personal boundaries and risk management. It specifically targets roles that involve financial or emotional liability for others, suggesting that avoiding these positions prevents long term complications for one's family. It is often cited as a warning when someone is pressured to sign a loan guarantee or mediate a dispute.
Examples
My mom always says it is best to avoid being a middleman, guarantor, or matchmaker.
Related words
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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.
