sik6 seoi2 sam1食水深
Jyutpingsik6 seoi2 sam1
Yalesihk séui sām
Definition
Having a deep draught, or figuratively, making an unreasonably high profit.
- having a deep draught
- figurativemaking a huge profit margin; price gouging
colloquialmoney
How it's used
Originating from nautical terminology regarding a ship's draught, this phrase has evolved into a common idiom for price gouging. It is frequently used to criticize businesses that charge exorbitant prices compared to their actual costs. You will often hear it as the punchline to the riddle 航空母艦, where the answer is 食水深.
Examples
That shop has such a huge profit margin, who would patronize them?
They have a massive markup in their business and are always ripping people off.
Related words
Common phrases
to have a very high profit margin
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of water consumption, which is simply 食水. The figurative sense specifically requires the adjective 深 to imply the depth of the profit margin.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
