wai3 lou5 fu2（ gei1）餵老虎（機）喂老虎（机）
Jyutpingwai3 lou5 fu2（ gei1）
Yalewai lóuh fu2（ gei1）
Definition
To insert coins into a parking meter.
colloquialtransportslang
How it's used
This expression uses the metaphor of feeding a hungry tiger to describe the act of paying for parking. It is a classic example of Hong Kong slang where the parking meter is personified as a beast that constantly demands coins to stay satisfied. While modern digital payment systems are becoming more common, the phrase remains deeply ingrained in the local vernacular.
Related words
Common phrases
to feed the parking meter
Common mistake
Do not use this phrase in a literal context involving actual animals, as it will cause confusion. It is strictly reserved for the specific action of paying for street-side parking.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
