zan1 gam1 baak6 ngan2真金白銀真金白银
Jyutpingzan1 gam1 baak6 ngan2
Yalejān gām baahk ngán
Definition
Hard cash or real money, emphasizing actual investment and out-of-pocket expenses.
colloquialmoney
How it's used
Emphasizes that the money involved is actual cash or personal capital rather than virtual, theoretical, or borrowed funds. It carries a serious tone, often used to warn others to be cautious or responsible because the financial risk is tangible and non-refundable.
Examples
This business deal requires real money investment, don't mess around.
Do you think this is a game? This time it involves real money.
Related words
Common phrases
invest real money
buy with real money
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe abstract wealth or digital currency balances, as the term specifically highlights the physical or hard-earned nature of the capital being spent.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
