saam1 geoi3 bat1 lei4 bun2 hong4三句不離本行三句不离本行

Jyutpingsaam1 geoi3 bat1 lei4 bun2 hong4

Yalesāam geui bāt lèih bún hòhng

語句

Definition

To talk shop; to constantly steer the conversation back to one's own profession regardless of the occasion or audience.

colloquialworkcommunication

How it's used

This idiom describes someone who is so obsessed with their job that they cannot help but steer every conversation back to it, regardless of the setting. It carries a slightly critical or teasing tone, implying the person is boring or lacks social awareness. It is almost exclusively used to describe someone else's behavior rather than one's own.

Examples

keoi5佢zan1真hai6係saam1三geoi3句bat1不lei4離bun2本hong4行，heoi3去jam2飲caa4茶dou1都gong2講saang1生ji3意。

He really talks shop; he even talks about business while having dim sum.

nei5你zou6做me1咩saam1三geoi3句bat1不lei4離bun2本hong4行，tung4同ngo5我gong2講maai4埋di1啲din6電nou5腦je5嘢？

Why do you keep talking shop and telling me about computer stuff?

Common phrases

saam1三geoi3句bat1不lei4離bun2本hong4行

to talk shop

Common mistake

Do not use this to describe someone who is simply knowledgeable about their field. It specifically refers to the inability to stop talking about work in social situations where it is inappropriate or tedious for others.