saang2 ziu1 paai4省招牌
Jyutpingsaang2 ziu1 paai4
Yalesáang jīu pàaih
Definition
To do something exceptionally well to maintain, enhance, or restore a brand's or organization's reputation.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Literally referring to polishing a shop sign, this idiom is used to describe actions that uphold or enhance the reputation of a group, family, or organization. It is frequently used in contexts where someone has performed well and maintained a high standard expected of them. The phrase carries a sense of pride and collective responsibility.
Examples
He studied so hard, he really brought honour to the family.
You won the competition this time, you really brought honour to us!
Related words
Common phrases
to polish the reputation
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for meaning to clean a sign literally. It is strictly figurative and should not be used in a literal cleaning context.
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).
