saa1 din1 jyu2沙甸魚沙甸鱼
Jyutpingsaa1 din1 jyu2
Yalesā dīn yú
Definition
Sardines; various small oily fish often canned, or used figuratively to describe a crowded space.
- sardine; various small fish typically sold canned
- figurativea metaphor for a very crowded environment where people are packed tightly
colloquialfoodtransport
How it's used
Beyond the literal fish, this term is almost exclusively used to describe people being squeezed into a tight space. It is a very common metaphor for public transport during peak hours, particularly the MTR or buses. The imagery of the fish being tightly packed in a metal tin makes it a vivid and slightly humorous way to complain about overcrowding.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
The bus was packed like sardines after work.
Are you all packing yourselves together like sardines?
Related words
Common phrases
packed until becoming sardines
sardine can
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a crowded place like a street or a park, as it specifically implies being physically pressed against other people in a confined, narrow space.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
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Particle
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Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
