dai1 saam1 haa6 sei3低三下四
Jyutpingdai1 saam1 haa6 sei3
Yaledāi sāam hah sei
Definition
Humble, lowly, or lacking in social status; servile or obsequious.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of disapproval, highlighting a lack of self-respect or dignity in one's behavior. It is frequently used to describe someone who is overly obsequious or fawning to gain favor or money. Unlike simply being humble, it implies a loss of personal standing that others find pitiable or pathetic.
Examples
He acts so servilely towards his boss all the time just for the job.
You don't need to be so lowly; you should have some backbone.
Related words
Common phrases
servile attitude
to behave in a servile manner
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with being polite or humble. It is strictly derogatory and should never be used to describe someone who is genuinely respectful or modest.
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).
