bat1 gam1 hau6 jan4不甘後人不甘后人
Jyutpingbat1 gam1 hau6 jan4
Yalebāt gām hauh yàhn
Definition
Unwilling to fall behind others; not content to be outdone.
neutralpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This idiom carries a positive connotation of being competitive, proactive, or eager to participate in something worthwhile. It is frequently used in contexts involving personal achievement, charitable contributions, or professional performance. Unlike simply wanting to win, it specifically highlights the desire to maintain parity or excellence relative to one's peers.
Examples
He works very hard and is truly unwilling to fall behind others.
Everyone is rushing to donate money, no one wants to be outdone.
Related words
Common phrases
unwilling to be outdone in doing good deeds
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe simple jealousy or petty rivalry. It is reserved for situations where the subject is striving to match or exceed a standard set by others, rather than just trying to sabotage them.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
