gin3 gou1 zau6 baai3 gin3 dai1 zau6 caai2見高就拜見低就踩见高就拜见低就踩

Jyutpinggin3 gou1 zau6 baai3 gin3 dai1 zau6 caai2

Yalegin gōu jauh baai gin dāi jauh cháai

Definition

To be snobbish by flattering those of higher status and trampling on those of lower status.

colloquialpeopleemotion

How it's used

This idiom vividly captures the behavior of sycophants who adjust their attitude based on social hierarchy. It is a harsh criticism used to describe someone who lacks integrity and treats others based solely on their perceived value or power. It is almost exclusively used in a negative context to call out hypocritical social climbing.

Examples

keoi5佢ni1呢go3個jan4人gin3見gou1高zau6就baai3拜gin3見dai1低zau6就caai2踩，hou2好hat1乞jan4人zang1憎。

He is such a snob who sucks up to the powerful and looks down on the weak; he is so annoying.

nei5你m4唔hou2好gin3見gou1高zau6就baai3拜gin3見dai1低zau6就caai2踩，deoi3對jan4人jiu3要gung1公ping4平di1啲。

Don't be a snob who treats people differently based on their status; you should be fair to everyone.

Common phrases

wai4為jan4人gin3見gou1高zau6就baai3拜gin3見dai1低zau6就caai2踩

to be a person who is snobbish and sycophantic

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a simple description of social status, but it is a strong moral judgment. Using it to describe someone's career ambition is incorrect; it specifically targets the act of changing one's personality to suit the person being addressed.