maai5 hok3買殼买壳
Jyutpingmaai5 hok3
Yalemáaih hok
Definition
To buy a shell corporation for a back-door listing or reverse takeover.
colloquialmoneywork
How it's used
Refers specifically to the financial practice of acquiring a dormant or small public company to bypass the lengthy and rigorous process of an initial public offering. It is a term deeply embedded in the local financial sector and business news. While it sounds like a literal purchase, it implies a strategic maneuver to gain control of a listed entity's status.
Examples
That company wants to buy a shell to go public.
How will they restructure after the reverse takeover?
Related words
Common phrases
back-door listing
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with simply buying a company for its assets. It specifically refers to the acquisition of a listed entity to gain its stock exchange listing status, not just its physical office or equipment.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
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Classifier
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
