caam1 ci1 bat1 cai4參差不齊参差不齐

Jyutpingcaam1 ci1 bat1 cai4

Yalechāam chī bāt chàih

形容詞

Definition

Uneven, irregular, or not uniform; of varying lengths, heights, or quality.

neutraldescriptions

How it's used

This idiom is used to describe a group where the quality, size, or level of the members is inconsistent. It is often applied to groups of people, such as students or employees, or to a collection of items where some are good and some are poor. While it sounds slightly more formal than everyday slang, it is frequently used in professional or critical contexts to point out a lack of standard.

Examples

le1呢baan1班hok6學saang1生ge3嘅sing4成zik1績caam1參ci1差bat1不cai4齊。

The grades of this group of students are uneven.

dim2點gaai2解di1啲fo3貨ban2品zat1質sou3素caam1參ci1差bat1不cai4齊㗎？

Why is the quality of the goods so inconsistent?

Common phrases

zat1質sou3素caam1參ci1差bat1不cai4齊

inconsistent quality

seoi2水ping4平caam1參ci1差bat1不cai4齊

uneven standards

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a simple adjective describing a single object, but it specifically requires a collective subject or a group of items to make sense. You cannot describe one single person as 參差不齊.