siu1 mo4消磨

Jyutpingsiu1 mo4

Yalesīu mòh

動詞Uncommon

Definition

To kill or pass time, or to wear down gradually.

to kill or pass time by doing something
to wear down, erode, or consume gradually

colloquialdaily actionstime

How it's used

Focuses specifically on the act of passing time when one has nothing better to do. It carries a slightly more deliberate or reflective nuance than just idling, often implying a need to find an activity to occupy oneself during a lull. It is almost exclusively paired with the object 時間.

Examples

nei1呢dou6度mou5冇je5嘢wun6玩，dim2點joeng2樣siu1消mo4磨si4時gaan3間aa4呀？

There is nothing to do here, how can we kill time?

keoi5佢maai5買zo2咗hou2好do1多syu1書faan1返uk1屋kei2企siu1消mo4磨si4時gaan3間。

He bought a lot of books to take home to kill time.

Common phrases

siu1消mo4磨si4時gaan3間

to kill time

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 消耗, which refers to the physical wearing down or consumption of resources like energy or supplies. Using 消耗 for time sounds unnatural and technically incorrect in standard Cantonese.