se1賒赊
Jyutpingse1
Yalesē
Definition
To buy or sell goods on credit, deferring the payment or collection of money.
colloquialmoneydaily actions
How it's used
Historically, this term implies a level of mutual trust between a shopkeeper and a regular customer, often seen in traditional neighborhood stores. It is rarely used in modern chain supermarkets or large retail environments where payment is strictly immediate. Using this word can sound slightly old fashioned or imply a very close relationship with the merchant.
Examples
Boss, can I buy this pack of cigarettes on credit for now?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with borrowing money, which is 借錢. 賒 specifically refers to the act of taking goods now and paying for them later, rather than borrowing cash.
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.
