seon6 seoi2 jan4 cing4順水人情顺水人情

Jyutpingseon6 seoi2 jan4 cing4

Yaleseuhn séui yàhn chìhng

名詞

Definition

A convenient favor that is easy to do because it fits in with one's existing plans.

colloquialpeopleother

How it's used

This expression highlights the effortless nature of a favour, emphasizing that the giver did not go out of their way to help. It is frequently used to downplay one's own generosity, making the recipient feel less indebted. The phrase is often paired with verbs like 賣 or 做 to describe the act of offering this convenience.

Examples

nei5你sai2使mat1乜gam3咁haak3客hei3氣，ngo5我zi2只hai6係seon6順seoi2水jan4人cing4情ze1啫。

There is no need to be so polite, it was just a small favour that was convenient for me.

Common phrases

maai6賣go3個seon6順seoi2水jan4人cing4情

to do a favour that costs one nothing

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a generic term for helping someone. It specifically implies that the action was already part of the speaker's original plan, rather than a deliberate sacrifice or extra effort made solely for the other person.