maai6 toi2賣檯卖台
Jyutpingmaai6 toi2
Yalemaaih tói
Definition
To sell or sub-contract a space or the right to a product to another business.
colloquialworkmoney
How it's used
This term is specific to the retail and catering industry in Hong Kong, referring to the practice of leasing out a section of a shop or a specific counter to a third party. It implies a temporary or semi-permanent arrangement where the original owner retains the lease but allows another vendor to operate within their footprint. It is commonly used in the context of food courts or small retail clusters where space is at a premium.
Examples
The shop isn't doing well, so he decided to sub-let the counter space to someone else.
Related words
Common phrases
to sub-let a counter to someone
the rent is so expensive that one has to sub-let the counter
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with selling furniture, which would be 賣枱. The context of business operations is essential to distinguish the sub-leasing meaning from the literal act of selling a table.
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.
