se1 sou3賒數赊数
Jyutpingse1 sou3
Yalesē sou
Definition
To buy or sell on credit; to charge to an account and pay or receive payment later.
colloquialmoneydaily actions
How it's used
Historically, this term was deeply tied to the neighborhood store culture where shopkeepers kept a physical ledger for regular customers. It implies a level of trust between the buyer and the seller, as it is usually reserved for people who are well-known to the business owner. Using it in a modern corporate or retail setting often sounds out of place or overly demanding.
Examples
Boss, can you let me put this on my tab for now?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply borrowing money, which is 借錢. 賒數 specifically refers to the act of taking goods or services now with the promise of paying later, essentially creating a temporary debt balance.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
