sau6 jan4 ji6 fan1 sei3受人二分四
Definition
To work as an employee for someone, especially for a very low wage.
How it's used
This expression carries a self-deprecating tone, highlighting the power imbalance between an employer and an employee. It emphasizes that the worker is merely trading their time for a small, fixed wage, often used to justify why one cannot afford luxuries or why one should not overexert themselves for a boss. The phrase originates from the late Qing dynasty, referring to a specific daily wage in silver coins, which has evolved into a general idiom for being a wage earner.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not use this phrase to describe a high-paying or prestigious job, as it specifically implies low pay and a subordinate status. It is strictly used to describe one's own or someone else's position as a common worker.
Grammar color guide
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.
