haai6 toi5懈怠
Jyutpinghaai6 toi5
Yalehaaih tóih
Definition
To be slack, lazy, or inattentive.
writtenworkdescriptions
How it's used
Formal in tone, this word is rarely used in casual, everyday speech. It carries a sense of professional or moral negligence, often implying that someone is failing to maintain their usual standard of effort. You will encounter it more frequently in written reports, news articles, or formal warnings rather than in conversation with friends.
Examples
He has been very slack at work lately and is always late.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common adjective like 懶, but it specifically describes a lack of diligence or focus in a task rather than just being lazy by nature. Using it in a casual setting can make you sound overly serious or like you are reading from a formal document.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
