zok3 sou3作數作数
Jyutpingzok3 sou3
Yalejok sou
Definition
To cook the books, falsify numbers, or fabricate figures without any basis.
colloquialworkmoney
How it's used
Often used in professional or financial contexts to describe dishonest accounting practices, but it also applies to casual situations where someone exaggerates or invents figures to make their performance look better. It carries a strong negative connotation of deception and lack of integrity. You will frequently hear it used as a warning to others about someone else's untrustworthy data.
Examples
His report is falsified, don't believe him.
You cannot cook the books in business, you need to be more honest.
Related words
Common phrases
to cook the books to deceive people
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin term 作數, which in some contexts can mean 'to count' or 'to be valid/binding'. In Cantonese, it almost exclusively refers to the act of falsifying data or lying about numbers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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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).
