zaam2 gai1 tau4 siu1 wong4 zi2斬雞頭燒黄紙斩鸡头烧黄纸

Jyutpingzaam2 gai1 tau4 siu1 wong4 zi2

Yalejáam gāi tàuh sīu wòhng jí

Definition

To swear an oath and become sworn brothers, traditionally by cutting off a chicken's head and burning yellow paper.

colloquialpeople

How it's used

This idiom refers to a traditional ritual involving animal sacrifice and burning yellow paper to seal a pact of brotherhood. It carries a strong sense of historical, triad-related, or dramatic flair, often used to describe deep bonds formed in a rough or unconventional way. Using it today usually implies a sense of irony or nostalgia for old-school loyalty.

Common phrases

zaam2斬gai1雞tau4頭

to behead a chicken (as part of an oath)

Common mistake

Do not use this to describe modern, casual friendships. It is specifically reserved for formal, solemn, or dramatic oaths of brotherhood, and using it for a regular friend will sound bizarrely intense or theatrical.