ai2 dat1 dat1矮𠱂𠱂
Jyutpingai2 dat1 dat1
Yaleái dāt dāt
Definition
Very short in height.
colloquialdescriptionspeople
How it's used
This reduplicated adjective emphasizes a significant lack of height in a way that feels descriptive and slightly informal. It is specifically used for people, whereas other descriptors for smallness like 細粒 are more versatile and can apply to objects or general stature. The suffix 𠱂𠱂 adds a vivid, almost visual quality to the description of someone being noticeably short.
Examples
He is very short, it is hard to find him in the crowd.
That boy is very short, do you recognize him?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe inanimate objects, as it is strictly reserved for human height. Using it for a small box or a short building sounds unnatural to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
