daai6 mai5大米
Jyutpingdaai6 mai5
Yaledaaih máih
Definition
A humorous term for tubers, especially sweet potatoes or taro.
colloquialfoodmoney
How it's used
This term is a humorous or self-deprecating way to refer to root vegetables like sweet potatoes or taro. It plays on the irony of calling a cheap, humble staple food by a name that sounds like a grand, generic term for rice. It is often used to describe a period of financial hardship or simple living.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
I have no money lately, so I have to eat sweet potatoes every day.
How many sweet potatoes did you buy to bring home?
Related words
Common phrases
to subsist on sweet potatoes due to poverty
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the standard term for rice, which is simply 米 or 白米. Using this in a formal context or when referring to actual rice will cause significant confusion, as it is strictly a slang term for tubers.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
