si1 gwat1 mei6 hon4屍骨未寒尸骨未寒

Jyutpingsi1 gwat1 mei6 hon4

Yalesī gwāt meih hòhn

Definition

To have only just passed away, literally meaning the corpse is not yet cold.

writtenpeopleemotion

How it's used

This idiom carries a heavy sense of moral condemnation, typically used to criticize someone for being insensitive or opportunistic immediately following a death. It implies a lack of respect for the deceased and is almost exclusively used in negative contexts. While it describes a physical state, it functions primarily as a rhetorical tool to highlight the cruelty of the person being addressed.

Examples

keoi5佢si1屍gwat1骨mei6未hon4寒，nei5你gam3咁faai3快zau6就zaang1爭caan2產？

The body is not yet cold, and you are already fighting over the inheritance?

jan4人dei6哋si1屍gwat1骨mei6未hon4寒，gong2講je5嘢m4唔hou2好gam3咁haak1刻bok6薄。

The person has only just passed away, do not be so harsh with your words.

Common phrases

si1屍gwat1骨mei6未hon4寒zau6就zaang1爭caan2產

fighting over inheritance before the body is cold

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a literal description of a funeral setting, but it is actually a sharp, accusatory idiom. Using it in a neutral or sympathetic context will sound bizarrely aggressive or inappropriate.