sau1 pin2收片
Jyutpingsau1 pin2
Yalesāu pín
Definition
Protection money collected by triad or criminal gangs.
colloquialpeoplemoney
How it's used
Refers specifically to the illicit practice of extorting money from businesses under the guise of providing protection. It carries a heavy criminal connotation and is almost exclusively used in the context of gang activity. Using this term in casual conversation about legitimate business fees is highly inappropriate and confusing.
Examples
That shop has to pay protection money every month.
Do you know who is collecting protection money around here?
Related words
Common phrases
to pay protection money
to be in charge of collecting protection money
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the term 收錢, which simply means to collect money or receive payment for legitimate services. Using 收片 in a non-criminal context will make you sound like you are accusing someone of being involved in organized crime.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
