zing1 ceot1 gwat1精出骨
Jyutpingzing1 ceot1 gwat1
Yalejīng chēut gwāt
Definition
Extremely cunning, selfish, or overly scheming.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This expression vividly describes someone who is not just smart, but calculating to the point of being stingy or manipulative. The imagery suggests a person whose self-interest is so deeply ingrained that it reaches their very bones. It is almost exclusively used to criticize someone's character in a negative light.
Examples
He is so selfish and cunning, always trying to take advantage of others.
Don't be so calculating and selfish, we are all friends here.
Related words
Common phrases
to have a selfish and calculating personality
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with being clever or intelligent. While 精 can mean smart, adding 出骨 turns it into a pejorative term for someone who is overly shrewd at the expense of others.
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.
