zam1 bei6 soek3 tit3針鼻削鐵针鼻削铁
Jyutpingzam1 bei6 soek3 tit3
Yalejām beih seuk tit
Definition
To make an insignificantly small profit; to skin a flint.
colloquialmoneydescriptions
How it's used
Describes someone who is excessively focused on squeezing out tiny, almost negligible profits. It carries a slightly critical or mocking tone, suggesting that the effort put into gaining such a small amount is disproportionate and perhaps petty. It is often used to describe merchants or individuals who haggle over trivial sums.
Examples
He is really penny-pinching in business, only making a few dollars.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe general frugality or saving money, as it specifically implies a focus on profit-seeking behavior that is seen as overly meticulous or narrow-minded.
Grammar color guide
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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).
