hei1 pei4 siu3 lim5嬉皮笑臉嬉皮笑脸
Jyutpinghei1 pei4 siu3 lim5
Yalehēi pèih siu líhm
Definition
To grin cheekily or have a playful, unserious attitude.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This idiom describes someone who is being flippant or lacking proper respect in a situation that requires seriousness. It is often used to reprimand someone who is laughing off a mistake or refusing to take a reprimand to heart. The imagery conveys a sense of annoying, persistent playfulness that prevents productive communication.
Examples
Why are you grinning like that? Be serious.
He is always acting all cheeky and never looks serious.
Related words
Common phrases
in a cheeky manner
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a genuinely happy or cheerful person, as it carries a negative connotation of being irresponsible or disrespectful. It is specifically reserved for moments when the person should be serious but chooses to act silly instead.
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.
