Learn how to use the expression 嘥晒 to say something is a waste, from a conversation between two people in Hong Kong
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Gabriella: Upper intermediate, season 1, Lesson 21. Do You Want to Have a Traditional Chinese Wedding? Hi everyone, welcome to cantoneseclass101.com. I am Gabriella. |
| Olivia: 大家好，我係 (daai6 gaa1 hou2 ，ngo5 hai6) Olivia. |
| Gabriella: And we are here with upper intermediate season 1, Lesson 21. Do You Want to Have a Traditional Chinese Wedding? |
| Olivia: 你想唔想行中式婚禮呢？ (nei5 soeng2 m4 soeng2 haang4 zung1 sik1 fan1 lai5 ne1 ？) |
| Gabriella: And where does the conversation take place? |
| Olivia: 係喺一對情侶嘅屋企，佢哋談論緊婚禮想點搞。 (hai6 hai2 jat1 deoi3 cing4 leoi5 ge3 nguk1 kei5 ，keoi5 dei2 taam4 leon6 gan2 fan1 lai5 soeng2 dim2 gaau2 。) |
| Gabriella: Right. The couple is talking about how they want their wedding. |
| Olivia: 喺呢一課呢 你可以學到好多關於婚禮嘅用詞㗎！ ( hai2 ni1 jat1 fo3 ne1 nei5 ho2 ji5 hok6 dou2 hou2 do1 gwaan1 jyu1 fan1 lai5 ge3 jung6 ci4 gaa3 ！ ) |
| Gabriella: And as usual, they will be using casual Cantonese. Let’s listen to the conversation. |
| DIALOGUE |
| A:HONEY，我哋搞一個中式婚禮，你覺得點呀？ (A: HONEY, ngo5 dei6 gaau2 jat1 go3 zung1 sik1 fan1 lai5, nei5 gok3 dak1 dim2 aa6?) |
| B:唔好，我鍾意西式多啲，我仲想著婚紗，走花門，宣誓呀。 (B: m4 hou2, ngo5 zung1 ji3 sai1 sik1 do1 di1, ngo5 zung6 soeng2 zoek3 fan1 saa1, zau2 faa1 mun4, syun1 sai6 aa6.) |
| A:但係中式婚禮嘅話，你仲可以著旗袍。你身材咁好，唔著旗袍嘥晒啦！ (A: daan6 hai6 zung1 sik1 fan1 lai5 ge3 waa6, nei5 zung6 ho2 ji5 zoek3 kei4 pou2. nei5 san1 coi4 gam3 hou2, m4 zoek3 kei4 pou2 saai1 saai3 laa1!) |
| B:雖然係咁講，但係咁我幾時可以著婚紗呀？ (B: seoi3 jin4 hai6 gam2 gong2, daan6 hai6 gam2 ngo5 gei2 si4 ho2 ji5 zoek3 fan1 saa1 aa6?) |
| A:影婚紗相嗰陣咪可以著囉，你想試幾多件都得。 (A: jing2 fan1 saa1 soeng2 go2 zan6 mai6 ho2 ji5 zoek6 lo1, nei5 soeng2 si3 gei1 do1 gin6 dou1 dak1.) |
| B:好！唔好反口呀。著婚紗結婚係我一世人嘅夢想呀！ (B: hou2! m4 hou2 faan2 hau2 aa6. zoek3 fan1 saa1 git3 fan1 hai6 ngo5 jat1 sai3 jan4 ge3 mung5 soeng2 aa6.) |
| A: Honey, let's have a traditional Chinese wedding, what do you think? |
| B: No way, I like the western style, I want to wear a wedding gown, walk through a flower arch, and say the vows. |
| A: But if we do it the traditional way, you can wear a cheongsam. It'd be a waste not to show off your perfect body in a cheongsam. |
| B: That's true, but then when can I wear a wedding gown? |
| A: When we take our pre-wedding photos, you can try on as many gowns as you want. |
| B: Okay! Keep your promise. Getting married in a wedding gown is the dream of my life! |
| POST CONVERSATION BANTER |
| Gabriella: So in Hong Kong weddings, people can choose between Chinese and western styles. Which one is more common nowadays? |
| Olivia: 其實而家好多婚禮呢 都係中西參半㗎！有啲人就會上晝行中式, 最主要就係接新娘同埋喺吉時斟茶俾長輩, 然後夜晚婚宴嗰陣呢 就行西式著婚紗入場㗎！ (kei4 sat6 ji4 gaa1 hou2 do1 fan1 lai5 ne1 dou1 hai6 zung1 sai1 sam1 bun3 gaa3 ！jau5 di1 jan4 zau6 wui2 soeng6 zau3 haang4 zung1 sik1 , zeoi3 zyu2 jiu3 zau6 hai6 zip3 san1 noeng4 tung4 maai4 hai2 gat1 si4 zam1 caa4 bei2 zoeng5 bui3 , jin4 hau6 je6 maan5 fan1 jin3 go2 zan6 ne1 zau6 haang4 sai1 sik1 zoek3 fan1 saa1 jap6 coeng4 gaa3 ！) |
| Gabriella: East meets west weddings. That’s interesting. So some couples do the Chinese wedding rituals in the morning and then have a western style banquet in the evening. |
| Olivia: 係呀！亦都有啲人掉轉，揀上晝喺教堂行禮，然之後夜晚先搞中式飲宴，到時先斟茶俾長輩同埋著旗袍。 (hai6 aa3！jik6 dou1 jau5 di1 jan4 diu6 zyun3 ，gaan2 soeng6 zau3 hai2 gaau3 tong4 haang4 lai5 ，jin4 zi1 hau6 je6 maan5 sin1 gaau2 zung1 sik1 jam2 jin3 ，dou3 si4 sin1 zam1 caa4 bei2 zoeng5 bui3 tung4 maai4 zoek3 kei4 pou2 。) |
| Gabriella: While some people choose to have the ceremony at a church during the day and then have a Chinese banquet in the evening. |
| Olivia: 主要都係睇下對新人同埋啲屋企人傳唔傳統啦！ (zyu2 jiu3 dou1 hai6 tai2 haa6 deoi3 san1 jan4 tung4 maai4 di1 nguk1 kei5 jan4 cyun4 m4 cyun4 tung2 laa1 ！) |
| Gabriella: I see. So which one do you prefer Olivia? |
| Olivia: 唔..我諗呀, 旅行結婚最好啦！唔駛煩吖嘛！ (m4 ..ngo5 lam2 aa4 , leoi5 hang4 git3 fan1 zeoi3 hou2 laa1 ！m4 sai2 faan4 aa1 maa3 ！) |
| Gabriella: Okay now let’s take a look at the vocabulary and phrases. Let’s take a look at the vocabulary for this lesson. The first word we shall see is |
| VOCAB LIST |
| Olivia: 中式。 (zung1 sik1.) |
| Gabriella: Chinese style. |
| Olivia: 中 式, 中式。 (zung1 sik1, zung1 sik1.) |
| Gabriella: Next is |
| Olivia: 西式。 (sai1 sik1, sai1 sik1.) |
| Gabriella: Western style. |
| Olivia: 西 式, 西式。 (sai1 sik1, sai1 sik1.) |
| Gabriella: Next |
| Olivia: 婚禮。 (fan1 lai5.) |
| Gabriella: Wedding. |
| Olivia: 婚 禮, 婚禮。 (fan1 lai5, fan1 lai5.) |
| Gabriella: Next is |
| Olivia: 婚紗。 (fan1 saa1.) |
| Gabriella: Wedding gown. |
| Olivia: 婚 紗, 婚紗。 (fan1 saa1, fan1 saa1.) |
| Gabriella: The next word is |
| Olivia: 宣誓。 (syun1 sai6.) |
| Gabriella: Vow, to make a vow. |
| Olivia: 宣 誓, 宣誓。 (syun1 sai6, syun1 sai6.) |
| Gabriella: Next. |
| Olivia: 旗袍。 (kei4 pou2.) |
| Gabriella: Cheongsam, Chinese dress. |
| Olivia: 旗 袍, 旗袍。 (kei4 pou2, kei4 pou2.) |
| Gabriella: And next is |
| Olivia: 嘥。 (saai1.) |
| Gabriella: To waste. |
| Olivia: 嘥, 嘥。 (saai1, saai1.) |
| Gabriella: Next. |
| Olivia: 婚紗相。 (fan1 saa1 soeng2.) |
| Gabriella: Pre-wedding photos. |
| Olivia: 婚 紗 相, 婚紗相。 (fan1 saa1 soeng2, fan1 saa1 soeng2.) |
| Gabriella: Then we have |
| Olivia: 反口。 (faan2 hau2.) |
| Gabriella: To go back on one’s word. |
| Olivia: 反 口, 反口。 (faan2 hau2, faan2 hau2.) |
| Gabriella: And the last word is |
| Olivia: 夢想。 (mung6 soeng2.) |
| Gabriella: Dream. |
| Olivia:夢 想, 夢想。 (mung6 soeng2, mung6 soeng2.) |
| VOCAB AND PHRASE USAGE |
| Gabriella: Let’s take a closer look at some of these words and phrases. Our first word is 長衫 (coeng4 saam1) Cheongsam or Chinese dress. |
| Olivia: 旗袍 。 (kei4 pou2.) |
| Gabriella: That’s the dress Chinese people wear on special occasions. Isn’t it? |
| Olivia: 係呀！以前就多啲，近年喺香港好似除咗婚禮同埋選美之外就好少見啦！不過香港有啲學校嘅女學生校服係旗袍設計嚟㗎！ (hai6 aa3 ！ji5 cin4 zau6 do1 di1 ，gan6 nin4 hai2 hoeng1 gong2 hou2 ci5 ceoi4 zo2 fan1 lai5 tung4 maai4 syun2 mei5 zi1 ngoi6 zau6 hou2 siu2 gin3 laa3 ！bat1 gwo3 hoeng1 gong2 jau5 di1 hok6 haau6 ge3 neoi5 hok6 sang1 haau6 fuk6 hai6 kei4 pou2 cit3 gai3 lai4 gaa3 ！) |
| Gabriella: As a school uniform too. Wow! That I didn’t know. |
| Olivia: 其實行中式婚禮嘅時候除咗著旗袍仲可以著裙袴, 裙袴呢係分上下身兩件頭嘅，而且鬆身啲，比著旗袍舒服啲㗎！ (kei4 sat6 haang4 zung1 sik1 fan1 lai5 ge3 si4 hau6 ceoi4 zo2 zoek3 kei4 pou2 zung6 ho2 ji5 zoek3 kwan4 kwaa2 , kwan4 kwaa2 ne1 hai6 fan1 soeng6 haa6 san1 loeng5 gin6 tau2 ge3 ，ji4 ce2 sung1 san1 di1 ，bei2 zoek3 kei4 pou2 syu1 fuk6 di1 gaa3 ！) |
| Gabriella: So apparently, other than a Cheongsam some brides wear something called a Chinese style wedding gown. It has a loose fit and is separated into upper and lower parts. So it must be much more comfortable to wear than a Cheongsam. |
| Olivia: 係呀！不過我覺得著旗袍有女人味啲。 (hai6 aa3 ！bat1 gwo3 ngo5 gok3 dak1 zoek3 kei4 pou2 jau5 neoi5 jan2 mei6 di1 。) |
| Gabriella: Yes a Cheongsam seems to be able to turn every woman into a graceful lady. Now let’s take a look at the second word, “to go back on one’s word”. |
| Olivia: 反口。 (faan2 hau2 。) |
| Gabriella: It’s funny that the two characters are “anti-” and “mouth”. |
| Olivia: 係呀！用嚟話一啲人講過嘅嘢唔算數。 (hai6 aa3 ！jung6 lai4 waa6 jat1 di1 jan4 gong2 gwo3 ge3 je5 m4 syun3 sou3 。) |
| Gabriella: So you can use it when someone broke their promise. |
| Olivia: 所以對話入面就有呢句, “唔好反口呀!” ( so2 ji5 deoi3 waa6 jap6 min6 zau6 jau5 ni1 geoi3 , “m4 hou2 faan2 hau2 aa3 !”) |
| Gabriella: Yes in the dialogue, the bride to be was reminding her fiancé not to break his promise. Let’s hear it again. |
| Olivia: 唔 好 反 口 呀! 唔好反口呀! (m4 hou2 faan2 hau2 aa3 ! m4 hou2 faan2 hau2 aa3 !) |
| Gabriella: And now on to the grammar. |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| Gabriella: In this lesson, you will learn how to use the expression |
| Olivia: 嘥晒。 (saai1 saai3 。) |
| Gabriella: It means that something is not cherished the way it deserves to be that it has a greater value but goes unseen. So it’s such a pity. In the dialogue, we hear. |
| Olivia: 你身材咁好，唔著旗袍嘥晒啦！ (nei5 san1 coi4 gam3 hou2 ，m4 zoek3 kei4 pou2 saai1 saai3 laa1 ！) |
| Gabriella: Literally, you have such a nice body, not wearing a Cheongsam is a waste. |
| Olivia: 用嘅時候先講個好嘅條件，然後現實發生嘅事，最後先加你嘅感想。 (jung6 ge3 si4 hau6 sin1 gong2 go3 hou2 ge3 tiu4 gin2 ，jin4 hau6 jin6 sat6 faat3 sang1 ge3 si6 ，zeoi3 hau6 sin1 gaa1 nei5 ge3 gam2 soeng2 。) |
| Gabriella: Yes first talk about the advantage and what’s happening in reality. Then finish the sentence with |
| Olivia: 嘥晒。 (saai1 saai3 。) |
| Gabriella: Right. Olivia, can you give us some more examples? |
| Olivia: 梗得啦！例如你讀咁多書，做侍應嘥晒啦！ (gang2 dak1 laa1 ！lai6 jyu4 nei5 duk6 gam3 do1 syu1 ，zou6 si6 jing3 saai1 saai3 laa1 ！) |
| Gabriella: You have studied so much. It’s such a waste to work as a waiter. |
| Olivia: 佢咁靚女竟然同個肥佬一齊，真係嘥晒！ (keoi5 gam3 leng3 neoi5 ging2 jin4 tung4 go3 fei4 lou2 jat1 cai4 ，zan1 hai6 saai1 saai3 ！) |
| Gabriella: It’s such a waste for a pretty girl like her to be dating that fat guy. |
| Olivia: 喺呢個情況下可能有人會話, “一朵鮮花插在牛糞上”㗎! ( hai2 ni1 go3 cing4 fong3 haa6 ho2 nang4 jau5 jan4 wui2 waa6 , “jat1 do2 sin1 faa1 caap3 zoi6 ngau4 fan3 soen6” gaa3 !) |
| Gabriella: That’s such a visual expression. A flower stuck into a pile of cow manure. You guys are really creative. |
| Olivia: 係㗎。 (hai6 gaa3 。) |
| Gabriella: So back to our grammar point. |
| Olivia: 嘥晒。 ( saai1 saai3 。) |
| Gabriella: There are many more phrases using the character to waste. |
| Olivia: 嘥。 (saai1 。) |
| Gabriella: For example |
| Olivia: 嘥錢. (saai1 cin2 .) |
| Gabriella: Waste of money. |
| Olivia: 嘥電。 (saai1 din6 。) |
| Gabriella: Waste of electricity. |
| Olivia: 嘥氣。 (saai1 hei3 。) |
| Gabriella: Waste of breath or energy. |
| Olivia: 嘥時間。 (saai1 si4 gaan3 。) |
| Gabriella: Waste of time. |
| Olivia: 嘥口水。 (saai1 hau2 seoi2 。) |
| Gabriella: Literally waste of saliva. It means waste of energy in trying to convince or persuade someone. |
| Olivia: 係呀！我哋加咗好多例句喺 lesson note 入邊，記住睇吓喎! (hai6 aa3 ！ngo5 dei6 gaa1 zo2 hou2 do1 lai6 geoi3 hai2 lesson note jap6 bin1 ，gei3 zyu6 tai2 haa5 wo3 !) |
Outro |
| Gabriella: So now, don’t waste your time and start reviewing. Well that’s all for this lesson. |
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| Gabriella: Thanks for listening and we will see you next time. Goodbye everyone. |
| Olivia: 今日就講住咁多先啦，下次見！ (gam1 jat6 zau6 gong2 zyu6 gam3 do1 sin1 laa1 ，haa6 ci3 gin3 ！) |
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