hou4 mut6毫末

Jyutpinghou4 mut6

Yalehòuh muht

Definition

Extremely small or insignificant thing; a minuscule amount or detail.

writtendescriptions

How it's used

This term is primarily used in formal or literary contexts to emphasize the insignificance of something. While it can appear in speech, it often carries a slightly scholarly or dramatic tone when used to describe minor details or petty grievances. It is most commonly found in the four character idiom 毫末之差, which highlights a tiny difference that leads to a massive outcome.

Examples

ni1呢di1啲hou4毫mut6末siu2小si6事，m4唔sai2使gam3咁gan2緊zoeng1張laa1啦。

These are just trivial matters, no need to be so nervous.

keoi5佢seng4成jat6日wai6為zo2咗di1啲hou4毫mut6末siu2小si6事tung4同jan4人cou4嘈。

He always argues with people over trivial things.

Common phrases

hou4毫mut6末zi1之caa1差

a tiny difference

hou4毫mut6末siu2小si6事

trivial matters

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a common noun used in daily conversation, but it is rarely used on its own to describe small physical objects. It is almost exclusively used as an adjective or part of a set phrase to describe abstract concepts like mistakes, differences, or trivial matters.