sou3 waan4 sou3 lou6 waan4 lou6數還數路還路数还数路还路
Jyutpingsou3 waan4 sou3 lou6 waan4 lou6
Yalesou wàahn sou louh wàahn louh
Definition
Business is business; money matters and personal relations or favors should be kept strictly separate.
colloquialmoneypeople
How it's used
This expression serves as a cultural reminder that clear boundaries are essential for maintaining long term relationships. It emphasizes that financial obligations and personal favors operate in different spheres and should not be conflated. Using this phrase helps to justify a firm stance when someone tries to leverage a personal connection to avoid settling a debt or obligation.
Examples
Even brothers should keep their personal relationships and financial dealings separate.
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not use this phrase to imply that you are being cold or unfeeling. It is intended to protect the relationship by preventing money issues from causing resentment, rather than to end the friendship.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
