caai2 dai1踩低
Jyutpingcaai2 dai1
Yalecháai dāi
Definition
To belittle, disparage, or put someone down.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
Primarily used in a metaphorical sense to describe belittling or disparaging someone to make oneself look better. It carries a strong negative connotation of social manipulation or arrogance. Often paired with 抬高 to describe the act of boosting one's own status at the expense of another.
Examples
He always likes to put others down to elevate himself.
Don't put him down anymore, he is working very hard.
Related words
Common phrases
to disparage others to promote oneself
Common mistake
Do not use this for the literal action of stepping over an object, which would be 跨過. Using 踩低 in a physical context sounds like you are literally stepping on someone's feet to push them down.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
