Expressions

do extra work for nothing

wan6 gat1

back in the day

dong1 nin4

to write someone/thing off

tai2 sei2

spare tyre (fat)

si6 be1 taai1

make indirect criticism (passive aggressive)

daan1 daan1 daa2 daa2<br>sing single hit hit

every grain counts

lap1 lap1 gaai1 san1 fu2

fuck you

diu2 lei5

god damnit/drop dead

puk1 gaai1

fucking ____

lun2

stupid cunt

so4 hai1

good morning

zou2 san4

good night

zou2 tau2

sorry (proper apology)

deoi3 m4 zjyu6

thank you

m4 goi1 (saai3)

you're welcome

m4 sai2 haak3 hei3

sorry (oops)

m4 hou2 ji3 si3

no worries (notting need)

m4 gan2 jiu3

no problem/fine by me

mou5 man6 tai6

score a rebound<br>get a lucky deal (lit. pick up dead chicken)

zap1 sei2 gai1

be a scapegoat (lit. help eat dead cat)

bong1 (someone) sik6 sei2 maau1

lost your mind (take the wrong medicine)

sik6 co3 joek6

Talk too much/talkative

hau2 seoi2 do1 gwo3 caa4

on the topic of... (lit. on top of)

soeng6 min6

on the other hand

fong1 min6

have a safe journey (one road follow wind)

jat1 lou6 seon6 fung1

while this... that<br>(one road/side... one road/side)

jat1 bin6 ____ jat1 bin6 ____<br>jat1 min6 ____ jat1 min6 ____<br>jat1 lou6 ____ jat1 lou6 ____

the more ____ the more ____

jyut6 lei4 jyut6

what's up?

me1 si6 aa3? = what's the matter?<br>me1 liu2? = what's going on (rude)?

...and you?

nei5 le1

wish you good luck

zuk1 nei5 hou2 wan6

goodbye

bai1 bai3<br>zoi3 gin3

may I ask?

cing2 man6

nice to meet you<br>(lit. very delighted to be familiar/to recognise you)

我 都 好 高 興 認 識 你。<br>hou2 gou1-hing3 jing6-sik1 nei5

"I have already told you many times, but you still do it that way".

ngo5 ji5 ging1 tung4 nei5 gong2 zo2 hou2 do1 ci3, nei5 dou1 zung6 hai6 gam2 zou6

hello everyone (formal)

daai6 gaa1 hou2

welcome

fun1 jing4

to flake/not show up

fong3 fei1 gei1

a traitor (2-5 boy)

ji6 ng5 zai2

happy new year

gung1 hei2 faat3 coi4<br>or<br>san1 nin4 faai3 lok6

wish you good health

zuk1 nei2 san1 tai2 gin6 hong1

dragon horse spirit (CNY blessing)

long4 maa5 zing1 san4

wish you eternal youth

zuk1 lei5 cing1 coen1 soeng4 zyu3

wish you a good income (wealth-source wide-income)

zuk1 lei5 coi4 jyun4 gwong2 zeon3

where are you going?

nei5 heoi3 bin1 aa3?

Either ____ [will happen] or ____

jat1 hai6 _____ jat1 hai6 _____

cross the road

gwo3 maa5 lou6

talking to a brick wall (lit. play piano to a cow)

deoi3 ngau4 taan4 kam4

please

m4 goi1 (informal)<br>cing2 (formal)

please wait

cing2 dang2 dang2

daily

jat6 jat6

look forward to/keep thinking about

kei4 doi6

"great auspicious event" - equivalent to "fingers crossed" or "touch wood" to ward off bad luck

daai6 gat1 lai6 si6

"not at all!"

jat1 di1 dou1 m4 wui5

"just right"

ngaam1 ngaam1 hou2

phrase to politely request/command someone does something

[verb] jat1[verb] = "do the verb"<br>bong6 jat1 bong6 = weight it<br>"...bong1 ngo5 sai2 jat1 sai2" = "help me wash"

picky/fault-finding

jim4 saam1 jim4 sei3

"draw legs on a snake" (overcomplicate/overdo something and spoil it)

畫蛇添足 waak6 se4 tim1 zuk1

Play the lute to a cow (something deep/intellectual is lost on someone uneducated)

對牛彈琴 deoi3 ngau4 taan4 kam4

Displaying axe skills to Lu Ban (Showing off in front of an expert)

班門弄斧 baan1 mun4 lung6 fu2

Cover you own ears while stealing a bell (to point out self-deception or flawed logic)

掩耳盜鈴 jim2 ji5 dou6 ling4

give or take (lit. left/right)

zo2 jau5