嘥 (sāi) - Cantonese slang — to waste, squander, or spend & to use up

嘥Tone 1

sāi ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

儒三

嘥 · sāi

Cantonese slang — to waste, squander, or spend extravagantly;

to use up;

also to scold or reprimand harshly.

Cantonese slang — to waste, squander, or spendto use upalso to scold or reprimand harshly.

Usage highlights

waste moneywaste timewaste effortsquander opportunityscold harshlyuse up resources

Synonyms

  • 浪费— to waste (standard Mandarin)
  • 耗费— to consume, expend

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Don't waste money (嘥钱).
  • He squandered the opportunity (嘥咗个机会).
  • She scolded him harshly (嘥咗佢一餐).
  • This is a waste of time (嘥时间).

Collocations

  • waste money(嘥钱)
  • waste time(嘥时间)
  • waste effort(嘥气)
  • squander opportunity(嘥机会)
  • scold harshly(嘥人)
  • use up resources(嘥资源)

Idioms

  • Waste of breath(嘥口水)
  • Waste of effort(嘥心机)
  • Waste of resources(嘥资源)
  • Squander a golden opportunity(嘥咗个黄金机会)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Primarily used in Cantonese dialects, especially in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau.
  • Reflects pragmatic values in Cantonese culture, emphasizing efficiency and avoiding waste.
  • Often appears in informal speech, comedy, and media to express frustration or criticism.

FAQ