wan2 ziu1 m4 dak1 maan5搵朝唔得晚揾朝唔得晚
Jyutpingwan2 ziu1 m4 dak1 maan5
Yalewán jīu m̀h dāk máahn
Definition
To earn barely enough to get by; unable to make ends meet.
colloquialmoneypeople
How it's used
This idiom vividly describes the anxiety of living without financial security, specifically focusing on the inability to cover even the most basic daily expenses. It carries a sense of urgency and hardship that goes beyond simply being poor. It is often used to describe the precarious situation of low wage earners or those struggling during economic downturns.
Examples
His salary is low, he really lives hand to mouth.
Related words
Common phrases
to live hand to mouth
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply having no money. It specifically implies a cycle of daily struggle where today's earnings are immediately consumed by today's needs, leaving nothing for the future.
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.
