baau1 mei1包尾
Jyutpingbaau1 mei1
Yalebāau mēi
Definition
To come last in a race, exam, list, or ranking.
colloquialpeopleschool
How it's used
Used primarily to describe someone finishing at the very end of a ranking or competition. It carries a slightly informal and sometimes teasing tone, often used when discussing school grades or sports results. It is not used for inanimate objects or abstract concepts, focusing strictly on the position of a person or participant.
Examples
He comes last in every exam, it is really a headache.
Related words
Common phrases
the person who comes in last
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 墊底, which often implies being at the bottom of a pile or supporting something from underneath. While both can mean last place, 包尾 specifically emphasizes the act of finishing or ranking last in a sequence.
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.
