Explore Cantonese Language (I): Expressions of water 粵語探究（壹）：「水」的表達方式

粵語是一個生動有趣、詼諧抵死的語言，很多表達方式並非書面中文可以直接傳達得出來。其中，水的應用方式亦是非常豐富，在此憑記憶細數一番。此篇記錄跟錢有關的說法。
Cantonese is a very interesting and sarcastic language. Many of its expressions can hardly have equivalent terms and phrases in written Chinese. Among others, ‘water’ (水, seoi2) is a broadly flexible word widely used by Cantonese speakers and writers. This piece writes about the expression related to money.

撲水：緊急借錢
(pok3 seoi2): Borrow money urgently.

四圍撲水：到處緊急借錢
(sei3 wai4 pok3 seoi2): Borrow money everywhere urgently.

度水：借錢
(dok6 seoi2): Borrow money (without the sense of urgency).

回水：還錢
(wui4 seoi2): Return money.

過水／磅水：給錢
(gwo3 seoi2 / bong6 seoi2): Make payment.

冇水：沒錢
(mou5 seoi2): No money; poor.

有水：有錢
(jau5 seoi2): Has some money.

疊水：蠻有錢
(daap6 seoi2): Has a lot of money.

大把水：有很多錢、口袋很深
(daai6 baa2 seoi2): Has a lot of money; has a deep pocket.

大水喉：大金主、大筆錢或收入的來源
(daai6 seoi2 hau4): A rich financial backer; a source of a fat income.

搵水：賺錢、找錢
(wan2 seoi2): Earning money; making money.

掠水：敲詐
(loek6 seoi2): Reaping someone off.

食水好深：因為壓榨別人而賺太多、賺過了頭
(sik6 seoi2 hou2 sam1): Earn too much because exploitation of others.

水緊：銀根緊縮
(seoi2 gan2): Lack of money; austerity.

粵音參考 Linguistic reference:
香港中文大學粵語辭典 Cantonese Dictionary, Chinese University of Hong Kong.
https://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-can/