sau1 maai5收買收买
Jyutpingsau1 maai5
Yalesāu máaih
Definition
To buy someone over; to bribe or win someone over through unethical means in exchange for loyalty or support.
colloquialpeoplemoney
How it's used
This term carries a strong negative connotation, implying corruption or unethical behavior. It is frequently used in political or workplace contexts to describe someone securing loyalty through illicit means. While it can be used metaphorically, it almost always suggests a lack of genuine integrity.
Examples
He wants to bribe me and told me to lie for him.
Do you think you can buy people's hearts just by using money?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the common verb 買, which simply means to purchase. 收買 specifically implies a corrupt transaction, whereas 買 is neutral.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
