fei1 tung4 siu2 ho2非同小可
Jyutpingfei1 tung4 siu2 ho2
Yalefēi tùhng síu hó
Definition
Not to be taken lightly; extraordinary, significant, or of no small consequence.
neutraldescriptions
How it's used
Carries a sense of gravity or urgency that elevates a situation beyond the ordinary. It is often used to warn someone that a consequence will be severe or that a problem is much bigger than it appears on the surface. While it sounds slightly more formal than standard spoken Cantonese, it is frequently used in daily life to emphasize the seriousness of a situation.
Examples
This matter is no small thing, you must not mess around.
His illness this time is serious, he needs to go to the hospital immediately.
Related words
Common phrases
the consequences are serious
a matter of great importance
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this to describe something that is simply 'very good' or 'impressive' in a positive sense, but it is almost exclusively reserved for serious, negative, or high-stakes situations.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
