杯底毋通飼金魚

Chinese

		drinkware; cup; glass	background; bottom; base background; bottom; base; (possessive part.); (subor. part.)	do not; don't	to raise; to rear; to feed	goldfish
trad. (杯底毋通飼金魚)		杯	底	毋通	飼	金魚
simp. (杯底毋通饲金鱼)		杯	底	毋通	饲	金鱼
Literally: “The bottom of the glass cannot [have enough space to] raise a goldfish.”

Pronunciation

Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): poe-té m̄-thang chhī kim-hî

Southern Min
- (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: poe-té m̄-thang chhī kim-hî
  - Tâi-lô: pue-té m̄-thang tshī kim-hî
  - Phofsit Daibuun: poe'dea mxtafng chi kimhii
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /pue⁴⁴⁻³³ te⁴¹ m̩³³⁻²¹ tʰaŋ⁴⁴⁻³³ t͡sʰi³³⁻²¹ kim⁴⁴⁻³³ hi²³/

Phrase

杯底毋通飼金魚

(Hokkien) Used to encourage someone to empty their glass of alcohol.
- 1949, “杯底不可飼金魚”, 陳大禹 [Chen Ta-yu] (lyrics), 呂泉生 [Lu Chuan-sheng] (music)‎^[1]:
  
  啉啦！杯底毋通飼金魚，好漢剖腹來相見 [Hokkien, trad.]
  啉啦！杯底毋通饲金鱼，好汉剖腹来相见 [Hokkien, simp.]
  Lim--lah! Poe-té m̄-thang chhī kim-hî, hó-hàn phòa-pak lâi saⁿ-kìⁿ [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]
  Cheers! The bottom of the glass cannot raise a goldfish. True men speak from the heart when they meet.

Synonyms

杯底不可飼金魚／杯底不可饲金鱼, 杯底不可養金魚／杯底不可养金鱼
(Hokkien) 杯底𣍐當飼金魚／杯底𫧃当饲金鱼