dai1 zin6低賤低贱
Jyutpingdai1 zin6
Yaledāi jihn
Definition
Lowly, humble, or menial; having low social status.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Carries a strong sense of moral judgment or social contempt rather than just describing a low-paying job. It is often used to insult someone's character or behavior, implying they are acting in a way that lacks dignity or self-respect. Using this word to describe a profession can sound quite harsh and offensive.
Examples
His job is very menial, and he is always looked down upon.
Why are you speaking in such a vulgar and lowly way?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this word to describe simple manual labor in a neutral way, as it implies the work or the person is morally inferior. If you want to describe a job that is physically demanding or low-status without the insult, use 辛苦 or 基層 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
