him3 gaai1欠佳
Jyutpinghim3 gaai1
Yalehim gāai
Definition
Not good; unsatisfactory.
writtendescriptions
How it's used
Carries a formal and slightly detached tone, often appearing in written reports, evaluations, or professional feedback. It functions as a polite or euphemistic way to say something is bad without sounding overly blunt or aggressive. Use it when you need to maintain a professional distance while delivering negative news.
Examples
His performance has been poor lately.
Do you think the quality of this restaurant is not good?
Related words
Common phrases
poor academic results
poor performance
poor quality
Common mistake
Avoid using this in casual, intimate conversation with friends or family, as it sounds stiff and unnatural. In everyday speech, stick to 唔好 or 差 to express that something is not good.
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.
