maai6 san1 tau4 kaau3賣身投靠卖身投靠

Jyutpingmaai6 san1 tau4 kaau3

Yalemaaih sān tàuh kaau

Definition

To sell oneself out to somebody; to hire oneself out to a powerful patron for personal gain.

colloquialpeoplework

How it's used

This idiom carries a strong negative connotation, implying a loss of personal integrity or dignity for the sake of gain. It is often used in political or corporate contexts to describe someone who abandons their principles to serve a powerful figure. The phrase suggests a servile relationship where the person becomes little more than a tool for their master.

Examples

keoi5佢wai6為zo2咗soeng5上wai2位，ging2竟jin4然maai6賣san1身tau4投kaau3靠go2嗰go3個lou5老baan2闆。

In order to get promoted, he actually sold himself out to that boss.

nei5你m4唔hou2好wai6為zo2咗siu2少siu2少cin2錢zau6就maai6賣san1身tau4投kaau3靠jan4人aa4呀。

Don't sell yourself out to others just for a little bit of money.

Common phrases

maai6賣san1身tau4投kaau3靠kyun4權gwai3貴

to sell oneself out to the powerful

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a literal transaction of selling one's body, but it is almost exclusively used metaphorically to describe political or professional betrayal. It is not used for actual employment or job hunting.