saai1 sam1 gei1 ngaai4 ngaan5 fan3嘥心機捱眼訓嘥心机捱眼训

Jyutpingsaai1 sam1 gei1 ngaai4 ngaan5 fan3
Yalesāai sām gēi ngàaih ngáahn fan

Definition

To waste one's time and energy.

colloquialdaily actionswork

How it's used

This expression combines two distinct idioms to emphasize the futility of an action. It implies that the effort exerted is not only unproductive but also physically draining, often involving staying up late or sacrificing sleep. It is frequently used to warn someone against pursuing a hopeless task or a project that will yield no results.

Examples

Common phrases

really a waste of time and energy

Grammar color guide

Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector