san1 mou4 fan1 man4身無分文身无分文
Jyutpingsan1 mou4 fan1 man4
Yalesān mòuh fān màhn
Definition
Penniless; extremely poor, without even a single coin on one's person.
colloquialmoneydescriptions
How it's used
This idiom functions as a descriptive phrase to emphasize a state of absolute financial depletion. It carries a slightly dramatic or literary weight compared to simply saying 好窮, making it effective for storytelling or expressing strong frustration about a lack of funds. While it literally implies not having a single coin, it is frequently used hyperbolically to describe someone who has run out of spending money for the day or month.
Examples
He lost his job recently and ended up almost penniless.
How are you going to travel if you don't have a single cent?
Related words
Common phrases
broke as a church mouse
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a verb phrase, but it acts as an adjective or descriptive state. Avoid using it to describe long term poverty, as it usually refers to a specific, often temporary, situation where one lacks cash on hand.
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.
