daam1 tai1擔梯担梯
Jyutpingdaam1 tai1
Yaledāam tāi
Definition
The lowest passing grade of "H" in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination (HKCEE).
colloquialschool
How it's used
Refers specifically to the D grade in the old HKCEE system, which was the minimum grade required to meet certain university entrance or employment criteria. The term comes from the visual shape of the letter D, which resembles a ladder, or 梯 in Cantonese. It carries a sense of relief, as it represents the bare minimum needed to scrape by.
Examples
He got a D grade in Chinese, lucky he passed.
Are you worried about barely passing with a D grade?
Related words
Common mistake
This term is specific to the now-defunct HKCEE system and is not used for the current HKDSE grading scale. Using it to describe modern exam results will confuse younger speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
