pin2 fai3片費片费
Jyutpingpin2 fai3
Yalepín fai
Definition
Protection money; extortion money paid to gangs or criminals for protection.
colloquialmoney
How it's used
Refers specifically to extortion payments demanded by criminal syndicates or gangs from local businesses. It carries a strong connotation of illegal activity and intimidation. While it is widely understood, it is not a term used in polite or formal conversation.
Examples
That shop has to pay protection money every month.
Are they collecting protection money?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with legitimate business fees or taxes. It is strictly used in the context of criminal activity and illegal extortion.
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.
