Vernacular cantonese slang

Felix · Post by **Felix** » Mon Feb 07, 2000 6:42 am

Is there such a phrase in cantonese called "gong hei fat choi dau see dau loi" or something similiar to that concept. I've heard of someone say that but was not sure if it stands in local vernacular slang. How is it written ie via chinese characters. Thanks.

Felix · Post by **Felix** » Mon Feb 07, 2000 6:42 am

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Arkay · Post by **Arkay** » Sat Feb 19, 2000 3:42 pm

: Is there such a phrase in cantonese called "gong hei fat choi dau see dau loi" or something similiar to that concept. I've heard of someone say that but was not sure if it stands in local vernacular slang. How is it written ie via chinese characters. Thanks.
There is such a phrase (but one syllable is different). The first part, "Gong hei fat choi", is a traditional wish/greeting spoken at Chinese New Year. It basically is a congratulations for becoming/being prosperous, which is actually a polite way of wishing prosperity on someone. The second part, which should be "lai see dau loi", is said more in jest than in earnestness, because it is asking for a lucky money packet, a small red envelope that contains money, which is traditionally given out (by married people to unmarried ones, bosses to employees, etc...) at New Years. It would be rude to ask directly for a lucky money packet, so if the second part is added at all, it is normally spoken in fun. People should not have to ask for lucky money packets; they are given freely without being asked for. The first part (gong hei fat choi), is heard and seen very often during the Chinese New Year period. Sorry, I don't have Chinese software to write the characters for you.

Julianna · Post by **Julianna** » Tue Feb 22, 2000 8:36 pm

: Is there such a phrase in cantonese called "gong hei fat choi dau see dau loi" or something similiar to that concept. I've heard of someone say that but was not sure if it stands in local vernacular slang. How is it written ie via chinese characters. Thanks.

puiwaihin · Post by **puiwaihin** » Wed Jul 12, 2000 9:33 pm

恭喜發財離是兜來
Lai See is strictly Cantonese, so the characters are not standard Chinese.

Man Ho · Post by **Man Ho** » Tue Feb 06, 2001 9:03 am

: 恭喜發財離是兜來
: Lai See is strictly Cantonese, so the characters are not standard Chinese.
I think that "lai see" can be written as "利是" in Chinese character.

Ray · Post by **Ray** » Fri Mar 30, 2001 1:08 am

it should be 恭喜發財利事逗來

Thomas Chan · Post by **Thomas Chan** » Mon Mar 18, 2002 8:31 pm

Man Ho wrote:
>
> : 恭喜發財離是兜來
> : Lai See is strictly Cantonese, so the characters are not
> standard Chinese.
> I think that "lai see" can be written as "利是" in Chinese
> character.

I've seen that way (利是) of writing
lei6si6 before, as well as 利市.

This term also exists in Hakka Chinese
as well as Vietnamese (li`xi`).

Thomas Chan
tc31@cornell.edu

Terence Lee · Post by **Terence Lee** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 2:07 pm

Gung1 Hei2 Faat3 Coi4, Lai6 Si6 Dau Loi
恭喜發財 *利是逗來
(wish you get rich, give me red pocket)
* are words written for matching the sound,
the correct words should be 利市 # 來 where
市 sounds si3 and # is written as 鬥 with 斲inside

Lisa C · Post by **Lisa C** » Tue Mar 19, 2002 4:29 pm

I think it's "gong hei fat choi lai see dau loi" meaning, wishing you prosperity and hoping for a red envelope full of $(lai see). It's a traditional thing around Chinese New Year kids say when greeting any adult.

I can't type in characters, but "gong hei fat choi" is "gong xi fa cai" in Mandarin. Lai see is Cantonese. "Loi" = "lai" = come.

Maybe someone out there can help you with the characters, although Chinese New Year's past and you'll have to wait until next year to use it (only if you're single!)

Chinese languages