Something to Rely On

There are times when I feel very pleased with myself. Sometimes it’s when surveying my newly cleaned house. Other times it’s when I make an unexpectedly good meal, especially on a first attempt. Or maybe even when I write a poem I am particularly pleased with. 

All of that pales in comparison to when I make up a Cantonese-English pun. Not a subtle person, I usually proudly share my creation with others. It doesn’t matter if they don’t know Cantonese. I will helpfully explain it to them so they can enjoy my new joke. 

Yesterday on the way to work, such inspiration struck. I was going through my flashcard deck when I saw the word 依賴 (ji 1laai6) which means rely. Suddenly music started playing in my head: Keane’s Somewhere Only We Know. 

Ji1 laai6 (or yee lie for those of you who don’t read Jyutping) sounds pretty similar to “rely.” In order to maintain the right tone (something Cantonese songs do), you have to tweak the melody slightly, but nothing difficult. And suddenly you have a pun! 

Oh simple thing, where have you gone? 

I’m getting old and I need something to 依賴 on. 

The rest of the day I was singing Somewhere Only We Know and sharing my discovery freely. 

Later I asked friends to clarify the difference between 依靠 (ji1 kaau4) and 依賴 (ji1 laai6), since both of them came up as “rely.” I was told that 依靠 (ji1 kaau4) has a more positive meaning, as far as someone is reliable and dependable, whereas 依賴 (ji1 laai6) is a bit more negative, more like you are reliant on someone else, maybe too much so. Like when grown children are still relying on their parents’ support to live. 

Unfortunate that the one that fits the song is the negative one, but what can you do. At least this led me to finding out the difference between the two! And I am still on my dad’s Youtube family plan, so maybe that does count as 依賴 (ji1 laai6). Ah well, no ads is worth it.