maai5 ding6 lei4 sau2買定離手买定离手
Jyutpingmaai5 ding6 lei4 sau2
Yalemáaih dihng lèih sáu
Definition
A dealer's call in gambling games ordering players to place their final bets and take their hands off the table.
colloquialdaily actionsother
How it's used
Originally a specific command used by dealers in traditional dice games like 大細 or 魚蝦蟹, this phrase has evolved into a common idiom for any situation where a final decision must be made before a process begins. It carries a sense of urgency and finality, often used playfully in social settings when someone is indecisive about choosing something.
Examples
Place your bets and keep your hands off, we are about to reveal the result.
Related words
Common phrases
Place your bets and keep your hands off, no more changes allowed.
Common mistake
Do not use this phrase in formal business or professional contexts, as it is inherently tied to gambling culture and carries a casual, slightly risky tone.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
