zou6 zo2 jan4 zyu1 zai2做咗人豬仔做咗人猪仔
Jyutpingzou6 zo2 jan4 zyu1 zai2
Yalejouh jó yàhn jyū jái
Definition
To become someone's victim of deception, human trafficking, or forced labor.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
This phrase carries a heavy historical weight, originating from the 19th century when laborers were shipped abroad under deceptive or coercive conditions. Today, it is used metaphorically to describe someone who has been exploited, trafficked, or forced into a situation where they have no freedom or agency. It implies a total loss of autonomy, often involving being sold or traded by a third party.
Examples
Don't trust people blindly, watch out for being sold into labor.
Related words
Common phrases
to be sold into human trafficking or forced labor
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of a piglet. Using this phrase in a casual context can sound very serious or dramatic, as it specifically refers to human exploitation rather than just being a victim of a minor prank.
Grammar color guide
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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.
