zaan2 saai1 hei3賺嘥氣赚嘥气
Jyutpingzaan2 saai1 hei3
Yalejáan sāai hei
Definition
Futile and pointless; a waste of breath or effort.
colloquialcommunicationemotion
How it's used
Focuses on the futility of verbal communication when the listener is stubborn or incapable of understanding. It carries a strong sense of frustration and dismissal, often implying that the speaker has already tried multiple times to no avail. It is a very common way to express that further discussion is pointless.
Examples
Trying to reason with him is a complete waste of breath.
Related words
Common phrases
simply a waste of breath
it's a waste of breath to even talk about it
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 嘥氣, which simply means to waste energy or breath. 賺嘥氣 adds an emphatic layer of futility, suggesting that the effort is not just wasted, but actively counterproductive or foolish to continue.
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.
