sau2 sung1手鬆手松
Jyutpingsau2 sung1
Yalesáu sūng
Definition
To be lenient or generous in grading, marking, or criteria.
colloquialschoolmoney
How it's used
Describes a situation where someone is being generous or flexible with rules, especially regarding money, time, or grading. It carries a positive connotation for the person being judged, as it implies they are receiving a benefit or a break. While often used for academic grading, it also applies to financial situations, such as someone being generous with their spending or lending.
Examples
This teacher is very lenient with grading, so many people get high marks.
Related words
Common phrases
lenient in grading papers
generous with giving marks
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 手緊, which means being tight with money or stingy. Learners sometimes mistakenly use it to mean physically loose, but it is almost exclusively used for abstract standards or financial generosity.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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.



