si1 fo3私貨私货

Jyutpingsi1 fo3

Yalesī fo

Definition

Smuggled goods, contraband, or illegally imported items.

colloquialshoppingmoney

How it's used

Originally referring to goods brought in through illegal channels to avoid taxes, this term has evolved to describe any item kept for personal use or hidden away from others. It is frequently used in a metaphorical sense to describe a person's secret stash of information, resources, or even talent that they are reluctant to share with the public. When used in this figurative way, it carries a slightly playful or conspiratorial tone.

Measure word

pai1批pāi

Examples

keoi5佢seng4成jat6日喺hai2網mong5上soeng6買maai5私si1貨fo3返faan1嚟lai4賣。

He often buys smuggled goods online to resell.

ni1呢di1啲hai6係mai6咪nei5你daai3帶faan1返lai4嚟ge3嘅si1私fo3貨aa4呀？

Are these the smuggled goods you brought back?

Common phrases

maai6賣si1私fo3貨

to sell smuggled goods

gaap3夾daai3帶si1私fo3貨

to smuggle goods (often used metaphorically for hiding one's own agenda)

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 私房錢, which specifically refers to secret savings or private money. While both imply something kept hidden from others, 私貨 is strictly about physical goods or resources, whereas 私房錢 is exclusively about currency.