tit3 saa1 lei2鐵沙梨铁沙梨
Jyutpingtit3 saa1 lei2
Yaletit sā léi
Definition
An extremely stingy person.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
This term vividly describes someone who is excessively tight with money, evoking the image of a fruit that is hard to bite into or open. It carries a stronger, more critical tone than simply calling someone stingy. It is frequently used in casual settings among friends or colleagues to tease or complain about someone's lack of generosity.
Examples
He is such a stingy person, he won't even buy someone a glass of water.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the actual fruit or literal iron objects, as it is strictly used as a metaphor for personality. It is not a formal term and should be avoided in professional or polite social contexts where calling someone stingy would be considered rude.
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.
