saan3 maai6散賣散卖
Jyutpingsaan3 maai6
Yalesaan maaih
Definition
To sell by retail, or to sell items from a set individually.
- to sell by retail; to sell in small quantities
- to break up a set and sell the items individually
colloquialshoppingmoney
How it's used
Focuses on the act of breaking down bulk quantities for individual purchase. It is frequently used in traditional markets or wholesale districts where vendors typically require a minimum order size. Using this term signals that you are asking for an exception to the standard bulk-buying rule.
Examples
This shop doesn't sell retail; they only do wholesale.
Boss, can you sell these items to me individually?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 零售, which is the formal noun or verb for retail business. 散賣 is specifically used in casual, spoken contexts to describe the action of selling items piece by piece rather than in bulk lots.
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.
