gau1 si2鳩屎鸠屎
Jyutpinggau1 si2
Yalegāu sí
Definition
Arrogant, cocky, or showing off.
slangpeopleslang
How it's used
Carries a strong sense of disdain for someone who acts superior or condescending without justification. It is considered vulgar due to the inclusion of the character 鳩, which refers to male genitalia, so it should be avoided in professional or formal settings. It is primarily used to describe an attitude or behavior rather than a person's inherent character.
Examples
He thinks he is so smart, he is really arrogant.
Don't be so arrogant, we are colleagues after all.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of something dirty, but it is strictly a derogatory term for attitude. Using it in front of strangers or superiors will likely cause significant offense.
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.
