魚蛋論

Chinese

		fishball	theory
trad. (魚蛋論)		魚蛋	論
simp. (鱼蛋论)		鱼蛋	论

Etymology

Coined by Dayo Wong in 2003, using fishballs sold at a food stall as an example to illustrate the phenomenon:

我唔要你畀返兩粒（魚蛋）我，我要你攞走佢嗰兩粒！大家少兩粒，噉就公平喇！ [Cantonese, trad.]

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我唔要你畀返两粒（鱼蛋）我，我要你𫽋走佢嗰两粒！大家少两粒，噉就公平喇！ [Cantonese, simp.]

From: 2003, Dayo Wong, 《冇炭用》[1]

ngo⁵ m⁴ jiu³ nei⁵ bei² faan¹ loeng⁵ lap¹ (jyu⁴ daan^6-2) ngo⁵, ngo⁵ jiu³ nei⁵ lo² zau² keoi⁵ go² loeng⁵ lap¹! daai⁶ gaa¹ siu² loeng⁵ lap¹, gam² zau⁶ gung¹ ping⁴ laa³! [Jyutping]

I don't want you to give two extra (fishballs) to me (like what you did to another customer), I want you to take his two away! Then everyone would have two less, and it would be fair!

Pronunciation

• Cantonese (Jyutping): jyu⁴ daan^6-2 leon⁶

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• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: jyu⁴ daan^6-2 leon⁶
    • Yale: yùh dáan leuhn
    • Cantonese Pinyin: jy⁴ daan^6-2 loen⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: yu⁴ dan^6-2 lên⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jyː²¹ taːn²²⁻³⁵ lɵn²²/

Noun

魚蛋論

1. (Hong Kong) crab mentality