bei1 pei2卑鄙
Jyutpingbei1 pei2
Yalebēi péi
Definition
Despicable, mean, or underhanded; describing a person or their methods.
colloquialdescriptionspeople
How it's used
While this term is understood in formal contexts, it is frequently used in daily speech to describe someone who lacks integrity or plays dirty. It carries a strong sense of moral condemnation and is often paired with descriptions of unfair behavior or underhanded schemes.
Examples
He is so despicable in how he does things, it's really annoying.
Why do you need to use such despicable tactics to win?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 賤格, which is a much more common, informal, and versatile term for describing someone who is mean or acts in a low-class, spiteful way. 卑鄙 sounds slightly more serious and is specifically focused on the lack of honor or ethics in one's actions.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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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).
