More information about ‘Lai6 Si6 Dau6 Loi4’
The word ‘利是，利市，利事，例事’ (Lai6 Si6) prevails in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces of China only. People of the other parts of China say it as 紅包 or 紅封包 unless those persons are influenced by Cantonese.
According to my own study about Guangzhouhua, I found leads that might be the origin of ‘lai6 si6’. A dictionary namely , Dictionary for Notyet-explained Ancient Chinese Words has quoted a record made by a writer of Yuan Dynasty. It says that a term written as ‘利市’, was a custom in ancient Cambodia. It was that girls at an age 7 to 9 (rich family), not latter than 11 (poor family) had to be got rid of their virgin by well-respected monks. The virgin blood was stained in a strip of cloth which was used to place on boys forehead to bring luck. This process was called 利市. Obviously, 利市 was a sound translation from Ancient Cambodian language and that has no finite writing form. Although there was no proof showing that that Cambodian 利市 was the same as the Cantonese 利市, but I believe that because of the geographical grounds being so close between them, the mutual cultural influences did take place somehow. Maybe mixed with the Chinese original custom of giving red pocket during New Years, Red pocket was then named as 利市 in Dual- Guang provinces. If so, no matter you say it as 利市，利是，例事，利事are accepted since it was a sound translation word.
As to ‘Dau6 Loi4’, I have given a character in previous posting written as #鬥 with 斲inside it. The word # loi4 means “you give and I receive”, and separately the character # has many meanings, 1. To fight 2. To compete 3. Piece together, etc (see Xiandai Hanyu Cidian) For meaning 3. : The pieces of materials put together means one piece receiving the other, 接合，接受，So it is justified for me to say that that is the original word for Dau6. Also note that, the correct sound for # is dau3 but dau6 is colloquial.
P. S. Cantonese say woodworking as dau3 muk6, but most of them do not know what is the character for dau3. According to the above-mentioned meaning 3., # is also the character for that.
Vernacular cantonese slang
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Lisa C
Re: Vernacular cantonese slang
Hi Terence,
Very interesting about the history of lai see. One note though, while it maybe prevalent in HK, Guangzhou, and Guanxi. It is not used in the villages outside of Guangzhou like En Ping, Kai Ping, Taishan, etc. Hong bao is the term although we understand lai see due to the HK influence.
Lisa
Very interesting about the history of lai see. One note though, while it maybe prevalent in HK, Guangzhou, and Guanxi. It is not used in the villages outside of Guangzhou like En Ping, Kai Ping, Taishan, etc. Hong bao is the term although we understand lai see due to the HK influence.
Lisa
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Elvis
Re: Vernacular cantonese slang
Dear Felix,
I think you got it wrong, it should be "gong hei fat choi, lei see dau loi" .
You greet people "gong hei fat choi" during chinese (lunar) new year for the good wealth. "lei see" is pocket money that is put in a paper red pocket.
"gong hei fat choi, lei see dau loi" represents an action. You greet your friend (generally speaking, you should be single and your friend should be married) "gong hei fat choi", then he will give you the "lei see". This slang is just a joke, we won't greet people "gong hei fat choi, lei see dau loi", it's rather impolite, just like you greet people just for money(?!)
In chinese: 恭喜發財,利是逗來
I think you got it wrong, it should be "gong hei fat choi, lei see dau loi" .
You greet people "gong hei fat choi" during chinese (lunar) new year for the good wealth. "lei see" is pocket money that is put in a paper red pocket.
"gong hei fat choi, lei see dau loi" represents an action. You greet your friend (generally speaking, you should be single and your friend should be married) "gong hei fat choi", then he will give you the "lei see". This slang is just a joke, we won't greet people "gong hei fat choi, lei see dau loi", it's rather impolite, just like you greet people just for money(?!)
In chinese: 恭喜發財,利是逗來
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Elvis
Re: Vernacular cantonese slang
Dear Felix,
I think you got it wrong, it should be "gong hei fat choi, lei see dau loi" .
You greet people "gong hei fat choi" during chinese (lunar) new year for the good wealth. "lei see" is pocket money that is put in a paper red pocket.
"gong hei fat choi, lei see dau loi" represents an action. You greet your friend (generally speaking, you should be single and your friend should be married) "gong hei fat choi", then he will give you the "lei see". This slang is just a joke, we won't greet people "gong hei fat choi, lei see dau loi", it's rather impolite, just like you greet people just for money(?!)
In chinese: 恭喜發財,利是逗來
I think you got it wrong, it should be "gong hei fat choi, lei see dau loi" .
You greet people "gong hei fat choi" during chinese (lunar) new year for the good wealth. "lei see" is pocket money that is put in a paper red pocket.
"gong hei fat choi, lei see dau loi" represents an action. You greet your friend (generally speaking, you should be single and your friend should be married) "gong hei fat choi", then he will give you the "lei see". This slang is just a joke, we won't greet people "gong hei fat choi, lei see dau loi", it's rather impolite, just like you greet people just for money(?!)
In chinese: 恭喜發財,利是逗來
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Merry Au
Re: Vernacular cantonese slang
To Felix,I hope you don't mind that my English is not good enought to let you understand well.
''gong hei fat choi ,**lai** see dau loi '' In fact there are two phrase,only the second one is slang.''gong hei'' is congratulate , ''fat choi'' is get rich. The first phrase means --wish you get rich!!(Yes,we wish you be rich but not health or happiness.)This is formal benediction to say to everybody the first thing in the morning at Chinese lunar new year,say it even to your parent ,your neighbour ,your colleague or client, say it to ever human and you will see the benefit----make people think your are polite person or get a red pocket if you are single and he/she was merried.
The second phrase is just say it for fun.''lai see'' is red pocket, ''dau loi'' is hard to explain but lets say it means ''give me", so the whole pharse means ''give me a red pocket'',notice that is no thankful and not polite, so it's only say by children for fun or someone very close to you.
''gong hei fat choi ,**lai** see dau loi '' In fact there are two phrase,only the second one is slang.''gong hei'' is congratulate , ''fat choi'' is get rich. The first phrase means --wish you get rich!!(Yes,we wish you be rich but not health or happiness.)This is formal benediction to say to everybody the first thing in the morning at Chinese lunar new year,say it even to your parent ,your neighbour ,your colleague or client, say it to ever human and you will see the benefit----make people think your are polite person or get a red pocket if you are single and he/she was merried.
The second phrase is just say it for fun.''lai see'' is red pocket, ''dau loi'' is hard to explain but lets say it means ''give me", so the whole pharse means ''give me a red pocket'',notice that is no thankful and not polite, so it's only say by children for fun or someone very close to you.
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Terence Lee
Re: Vernacular cantonese slang
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for your information, but I think lai6 si6 understood as hung4 baau1 by village people not because of Hong Kong influence but capital of Guangdong.i.e. Guangzhou, as if lai6 si6 was really from Cambodia, it should spread to Guangzhou first due to ancient trade route.
Thanks for your information, but I think lai6 si6 understood as hung4 baau1 by village people not because of Hong Kong influence but capital of Guangdong.i.e. Guangzhou, as if lai6 si6 was really from Cambodia, it should spread to Guangzhou first due to ancient trade route.