sat1 si4 gaap3 maan6失匙夾萬失匙夹万
Jyutpingsat1 si4 gaap3 maan6
Yalesāt sìh gaap maahn
Definition
A safe with no key; describes a son whose strict parents control his finances.
colloquialmoneypeople
How it's used
Describes someone who is extremely stingy or tight-fisted, specifically regarding money. The imagery implies that even if you have a relationship with the person, their wealth is completely inaccessible to you. It is often used to criticize parents or partners who control finances with an iron grip.
Examples
His dad is like a locked safe, he won't even take out a single cent.
Related words
Common phrases
like a locked safe
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is simply poor or broke. It specifically refers to someone who has money but refuses to spend or share it.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
