daai6 ji3大意
Jyutpingdaai6 ji3
Yaledaaih yi
Definition
Negligent, careless, or inattentive.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Focuses on a momentary lapse in attention or a failure to double check details. It often implies a specific incident where someone overlooked something important, rather than describing a permanent personality trait. Use it when someone makes a mistake due to being rushed or distracted.
Examples
You are so careless at work, it is very easy for something to go wrong.
Was I too careless and forgot to bring the keys?
Related words
Common phrases
careless and negligent
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin meaning of main idea or gist, which is also written as 大意. In Cantonese, it almost exclusively refers to being careless or negligent.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
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.
