dai1 mei4低微
Jyutpingdai1 mei4
Yaledāi mèih
Definition
Humble or lowly, especially in social status or background.
neutralpeoplework
How it's used
Focuses specifically on social status or professional rank rather than personality traits. It carries a slightly formal or literary weight, often appearing in narratives about someone's life history or social standing. When describing a person's character as modest or unpretentious, use 謙虛 instead.
Examples
He came from a humble background and only achieved success today through his own hard work.
Do you think the position of this job is too lowly?
Related words
Common phrases
to come from a humble background
to hold a lowly position
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is shy or quiet, as it strictly refers to social or job hierarchy. Confusing it with 謙虛 is a common error for learners.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
