dau6 deng1豆釘豆钉

Jyutpingdau6 deng1

Yaledauh dēng

名詞

Definition

A small child; a toddler.

colloquialpeoplefamily

How it's used

Carries a playful and slightly affectionate tone, often used by adults to refer to young children. It emphasizes the small stature of the child rather than just their age. While not inherently offensive, it is informal and should be avoided in formal settings or when speaking to someone you do not know well.

Measure word

go3個go

Examples

ni1呢go3個dau6豆deng1釘gam3咁sai3細go3個zau6就sik1識gong2講je5嘢laa1喇。

This little kid can already talk even though they are so small.

nei5你zung6仲hai6係dau6豆deng1釘go2嗰zan6陣ngo5我ji5已ging1經gin3見gwo3過nei5你。

I already met you back when you were just a little kid.

Common phrases

sai3細dau6豆deng1釘

tiny little kid

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with describing something as small in size generally, as it is strictly reserved for human children. Using it for objects or animals will sound unnatural or confusing to native speakers.