hou2 mei4 hou2 maau6 saang1 saa1 sat1好眉好貎生沙虱好眉好猊生沙虱
Jyutpinghou2 mei4 hou2 maau6 saang1 saa1 sat1
Yalehóu mèih hóu maauh sāang sā sāt
Definition
To look respectable and decent on the outside but be a bad person in character.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This idiom specifically highlights the contrast between a pleasant appearance and a rotten personality. It is often used as a warning when someone seems trustworthy or charming but has a hidden agenda or a malicious nature. The imagery of sand fleas, which are small and irritating, emphasizes the hidden, unpleasant reality beneath a clean surface.
Examples
He looks decent but is actually a bad person, don't you dare trust him.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is simply ugly or physically unattractive. It is strictly reserved for cases of hypocrisy or deception where the person looks respectable but behaves dishonorably.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
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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).
