saam1 kyut3 jat1三缺一
Jyutpingsaam1 kyut3 jat1
Yalesāam kyut yāt
Definition
To lack one of the four players required for a mahjong game.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Originally specific to mahjong, this phrase is now frequently used metaphorically to describe any group activity that requires a specific number of participants. It carries a sense of urgency or invitation, as the group is actively waiting for someone to complete the set. It is rarely used in formal writing and is almost exclusively reserved for casual social planning.
Examples
We are one player short now, are you coming over to make up the numbers?
We are missing one person to make four, hurry up and come down.
Related words
Common phrases
to make up the required number of players
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe just any missing item or person. It specifically implies that the activity cannot proceed or is incomplete without that final person, and it is almost always associated with groups of four.
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).
