sap6 fong1拾荒

Jyutpingsap6 fong1

Yalesahp fōng

動詞

Definition

To forage; to collect recyclable waste or discarded items to make a living or for reuse.

colloquialpeopledaily actions

How it's used

While 拾荒 is the standard term for scavenging, it is often used in a slightly formal or journalistic context to describe the act of collecting recyclables like cardboard or metal cans. In casual daily speech, people are more likely to use the verb 執, as in 執紙皮 or 執汽水罐, which focuses on the specific item being picked up rather than the general act of scavenging.

Examples

keoi5佢mui5每jat6日dou1都heoi3去gaai1街bin1邊sap6拾fong1荒，zap1執di1啲zi2紙pei4皮heoi3去maai6賣。

He goes to the street to scavenge every day, collecting cardboard to sell.

nei5你gin3見gwo3過go2嗰go3個aa3阿po4婆sap6拾fong1荒mei6未aa4呀？

Have you ever seen that old lady scavenging?

Related words

see alsozap1執jāpsee alsowui4 sau1回收wùih sāu

Common phrases

sap6拾fong1荒ze2者

scavenger

sap6拾fong1荒wai4為sang1生

to make a living by scavenging

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 執嘢, which is a very general term for picking something up from the ground. 拾荒 carries a specific connotation of survival or poverty, whereas 執嘢 can simply mean picking up a dropped pen or keys.