on1 cin4 maa5 hau6鞍前馬後鞍前马后

Jyutpingon1 cin4 maa5 hau6

Yaleōn chìhn máh hauh

動詞

Definition

To follow closely and be always at someone's service.

colloquialpeoplework

How it's used

Carries a strong nuance of being overly servile or fawning, often implying a lack of self-respect in the pursuit of pleasing someone in power. While it can describe genuine loyalty, it is frequently used sarcastically to mock someone who is acting like a lackey.

Examples

keoi5佢seng4成jat6日on1鞍cin4前maa5馬hau6後gam3咁fuk6服si6侍lou5老baan2闆。

He is always at his boss's beck and call.

nei5你sai2使m4唔sai2使gam3咁on1鞍cin4前maa5馬hau6後aa4呀？

Do you really need to be so subservient to them?

Common phrases

on1鞍cin4前maa5馬hau6後gam3咁fuk6服si6侍

to serve someone hand and foot

Common mistake

Avoid using this to describe simple helpfulness or professional assistance, as it implies a degree of sycophancy that can sound insulting if applied to a normal colleague or friend.