him2 se1險些险些

Jyutpinghim2 se1

Yalehím sē

副詞

Definition

Almost or nearly, usually referring to unwanted events.

colloquialdescriptions

How it's used

Carries a slightly more formal or literary tone compared to the ubiquitous 差啲. While 差啲 is used in almost every casual situation, 險些 is often reserved for written contexts or slightly more dramatic storytelling. It specifically highlights the narrow avoidance of a negative outcome, emphasizing the tension of the near miss.

Examples

ngo5我tau4頭sin1先him2險se1些dit3跌can1親aa4呀。

I almost fell down just now.

nei5你him2險se1些zing2整laan6爛zo2咗go3個bui1杯，hou2好coi2彩zaa5咋。

You almost broke the cup, lucky you.

Common phrases

him2險se1些dit3跌dou2倒

almost fell over

him2險se1些ci4遲dou3到

almost late

Common mistake

Learners often mistakenly use 險些 for positive outcomes, but it is almost exclusively used for negative or undesirable events. Use 差啲 instead if you want a neutral term that works for both positive and negative situations.