gam1 fei1 sik1 bei2今非昔比
Jyutpinggam1 fei1 sik1 bei2
Yalegām fēi sīk béi
Definition
No longer what it used to be, especially describing a situation that has worsened compared to the past.
writtendescriptionstime
How it's used
Often used to describe a significant decline or a dramatic transformation in a person's status or a place's condition. While it can imply improvement, it is most frequently employed to lament a loss of former glory or a negative shift in circumstances. It functions as a set phrase and carries a slightly literary or formal weight compared to the more casual 今時唔同往日.
Examples
This place has developed so quickly, it really isn't what it used to be.
Look at how successful they are now, how could they look like they've fallen on hard times?
Related words
Common phrases
simply not what it used to be
Common mistake
Learners sometimes mistakenly use this to describe any change, but it specifically carries a sense of comparison between a better past and a worse present. It is not appropriate for neutral or positive changes where the past was not necessarily superior.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
