Skint
SKINT /skɪnt/
Informal Neutral
What it really means
Having no money, broke. Very common among students, especially near the end of the month or term.
Chinese explanation
没钱了、穷得叮当响。学生之间特别常用，尤其在月底或学期末。
Context, tips & common mistakes
Skint means temporarily out of money — end-of-the-month broke, not poverty. Its social function is what newcomers miss: 'sorry, I'm skint this week' is a fully respectable, no-questions-asked reason to decline the pub, the trip or the round, and using it is far better received than mysteriously dodging invitations. Nobody probes further; probing would be the rude part.
It is informal, so in a formal or professional setting say 'short of money at the moment' or simply decline without a reason. Related money-talk: Brits discuss being skint freely while finding actual salary figures private — you can announce the state, not the numbers.
Example conversation
A: Coming to the gig on Friday?
B: Can't, I'm skint until my loan comes in.
A：周五来看演出吗？
B：去不了，贷款到账之前我是真没钱了。
Official sources
Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.
All British Slang
Reviewed by the UK Decoded editorial team
· Last checked 17 August 2026 · Report a mistake