saai1 si4 gaan3嘥時間嘥时间
Jyutpingsaai1 si4 gaan3
Yalesāai sìh gaan
Definition
To waste time.
colloquialtimedaily actions
How it's used
嘥 acts as a versatile verb meaning to waste or squander, and it is frequently paired with nouns like 時間 or 錢. It carries a strong sense of frustration or annoyance, implying that the effort or resources being spent are completely futile. Unlike the more formal 浪費, 嘥 is strictly colloquial and sounds natural in everyday complaints or casual advice.
Examples
Talking to him that much is just a waste of time.
How much more time are you going to waste waiting here?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse 嘥 with 曬, which means to sunbathe or to be exposed to the sun. While they sound identical in some pronunciations, 嘥 is specifically for wasting things.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
