saat3 sau2 gaan2撒手鐧撒手锏
Jyutpingsaat3 sau2 gaan2
Yalesaat sáu gáan
Definition
One's trump card, secret weapon, or decisive move used to surprise and defeat an opponent.
colloquialother
How it's used
Originally referring to a desperate, surprise move in martial arts where a fighter throws their weapon to catch an opponent off guard, this term has evolved into a common metaphor for any decisive strategy or hidden advantage. It is frequently used in business, sports, or competitive contexts to describe the final, most powerful move held in reserve to turn the tide of a situation.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
This plan is his final trump card.
What other trump cards do you have left to play?
Related words
Common phrases
to play one's trump card
the final trump card
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with the Mandarin term 殺手鐧, which is a common variant. While 撒手鐧 is the traditional form rooted in the imagery of releasing a weapon, 殺手鐧 is widely accepted and understood in modern usage as the 'killer move'.
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.
