saan1 kung4 seoi2 zeon6山窮水盡山穷水尽
Jyutpingsaan1 kung4 seoi2 zeon6
Yalesāan kùhng séui jeuhn
Definition
To hit rock bottom, run out of options, or reach a hopeless situation, especially regarding money and food.
colloquialmoneyemotion
How it's used
This idiom is frequently used to describe a state of extreme financial distress or being completely out of resources. While it can apply to any desperate situation, it is most commonly invoked when someone has run out of money to cover basic living expenses. It carries a heavy, serious tone and is rarely used for minor inconveniences.
Examples
He is completely broke now, he cannot even afford to buy food.
Related words
Common phrases
to reach a point of total desperation
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of being lost in the mountains or nature, but it is almost exclusively used in a metaphorical sense regarding personal or financial crises.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
