zo6 sik6 saan1 bang1坐食山崩
Jyutpingzo6 sik6 saan1 bang1
Yalejoh sihk sāan bāng
Definition
To eat into one's savings; to consume wealth without earning any new income.
colloquialmoneypeople
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of disapproval and urgency, often used to criticize someone who is idle or living off a dwindling inheritance. It paints a vivid picture of a situation that is unsustainable by nature, as the mountain of resources is finite and shrinking with every passing day. It is frequently employed in family contexts or when discussing someone who has lost their source of income but refuses to seek new employment.
Examples
He never works and just lives off his savings; he will run out of money soon.
Related words
Common phrases
living off savings until the family fortune is ruined
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being lazy, as the core meaning specifically highlights the depletion of existing capital or savings. It is not used to describe someone who is merely resting or taking a break.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
