wan2 gwai2 maai5搵鬼買揾鬼买
Jyutpingwan2 gwai2 maai5
Yalewán gwái máaih
Definition
Describing a shop or restaurant doomed to fail because nobody would want to buy from it.
colloquialshoppingslang
How it's used
The phrase literally translates to "finding a ghost to buy," which captures the absurdity of expecting sales in a hopeless situation. It is a harsh, dismissive way to criticize a business model or a specific product selection. Using this expression implies that the failure is inevitable and obvious to everyone except perhaps the owner.
Examples
The shop is so expensive, nobody in their right mind would buy anything there.
Related words
Common phrases
really nobody would buy
Common mistake
Avoid using this in a professional or polite setting, as it is quite blunt and can be perceived as insulting to the business owner. It is strictly for casual conversation among friends or peers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
Adverb
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
