saai1 cin2嘥錢嘥钱
Jyutpingsaai1 cin2
Yalesāai chín
Definition
To waste money; unnecessary spending.
colloquialmoney
How it's used
This term is a classic example of the Cantonese verb-object structure where the verb 嘥 acts on the object 錢. It carries a strong sense of disapproval or regret regarding an expenditure that provided little value. It is frequently used to criticize impulsive shopping habits or unnecessary service fees.
Examples
Buying so many clothes is really a waste of money.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 慳錢, which means to save money. Learners sometimes mix up the two because they both relate to financial management, but they are exact opposites.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
