pin1 mun4偏門偏门
Jyutpingpin1 mun4
Yalepīn mùhn
Definition
Illegal activities or shady business dealings operating in a legal grey area.
colloquialmoneywork
How it's used
Refers specifically to occupations or income sources that operate in the grey area of the law or are outright illegal. It carries a strong connotation of being risky and morally questionable, often implying that the person involved is trying to make quick money through unconventional means.
Examples
His job seems like shady business, he is always acting mysterious.
You must never touch illegal business, it is very easy to get into trouble.
Related words
Common phrases
to engage in shady or illegal business
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin term 偏門 which can sometimes refer to niche or obscure academic subjects. In Cantonese, it almost exclusively carries the negative, illicit connotation.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
