收聲 / 收声
sau¹ seng¹
The English phrase 'shut up' can be said in Cantonese using 收聲 / 收声 (sau¹ seng¹). If unsure, use 收聲 / 收声. Wiktionary also lists 收嗲 (sau¹ de¹) and 收皮 (sau¹ pei⁴).
Meaning: "Stop talking." (intj)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 收聲 / 收声 | sau¹ seng¹ | |
| 收嗲 | sau¹ de¹ | |
| 收皮 | sau¹ pei⁴ | vulgar |
These phrases are used to tell someone to stop talking.
What does it mean word for word?
The standard form 收聲 / 收声 literally means 'collect sound'.
Which one should you use?
While 收聲 / 收声 is a standard way to tell someone to shut up, 收皮 is much more aggressive and vulgar.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
收皮 is a vulgar slang term used to tell someone to shut up or to tell them to 'get lost' in a very rude manner.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the particle 啦 (laa1) to the end of these phrases makes the command more forceful or impatient.
How do you pronounce it?
sau¹ seng¹
Did you know?
- The term 收皮 (sau1 pei4) is a piece of highly colorful slang that literally translates to 'collect the skin'.
- In certain Hong Kong subcultures, the phrase 收皮 can be used not just to silence a person, but to tell them that their reputation or 'career' is effectively over.
- The variant 收嗲 (sau1 dei2) is specifically used to tell someone to stop their whining or 'acting cute' to get attention.
Examples in context
- 收皮啦死八婆！Shut up, bitch!The first sentence shows how to use the vulgar form 收皮.Tatoeba #5928715 by nickyeow, translation #2722185 by Hybrid
- 收皮啦你！Shut up! Stop! Mind your own business.The second sentence shows the use of 收皮 to tell someone to shut up or mind their own business.Tatoeba #8891963 by WilliamKwok, translation #8891969 by WilliamKwok
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shut up” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
