saam1 gau2 loeng5 ding1 cat1三九兩丁七三九两丁七
Jyutpingsaam1 gau2 loeng5 ding1 cat1
Yalesāam gáu léuhng dīng chāt
Definition
Very few people; sparsely populated.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This idiom is a vivid way to describe a sparse crowd or a deserted location. It carries a slightly humorous or dismissive tone, emphasizing that the number of people present is negligible. It is most effective when highlighting a lack of activity or business in a place that is usually expected to be busy.
Examples
There are very few people at the cinema today, it is so quiet.
There are barely any people in the whole park, where are you going to find someone to play with?
Related words
Common phrases
only a handful of people
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a small but sufficient group of people, as it specifically implies an underwhelming or disappointing turnout. It is strictly used for people and cannot be applied to objects or abstract concepts.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
