ci1 zi1 ji5 bei6嗤之以鼻
Jyutpingci1 zi1 ji5 bei6
Yalechī jī yíh beih
Definition
To scoff at, look down on, or turn one's nose up at something.
writtenemotioncommunication
How it's used
This is a formal idiom that carries a strong sense of disdain or contempt. While it is perfectly understood in spoken Cantonese, it is rarely used in casual conversation because it sounds quite literary and intellectual. It is more commonly encountered in news reports, political commentary, or formal writing to describe someone's dismissive attitude toward an idea or behavior.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
to scoff at something
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple verb like 睇唔起, but it is a fixed idiom that requires a specific structure. It is almost always used with 對 to introduce the object being scoffed at, such as 對某事嗤之以鼻.
Grammar color guide
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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).
