jai1 jai1曳曳
Jyutpingjai1 jai1
Yaleyāi yāi
Definition
Naughty or ill-behaved; used in baby talk.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This is a reduplicated form of 曳, used primarily when speaking to or about young children. It carries a softer, more affectionate tone than the base form, which can sound quite stern or judgmental. Parents and caregivers often use it to gently scold a child without being overly harsh.
Examples
Why are you being so naughty?
He was very naughty when he was little.
Related words
Common phrases
naughty little one
Common mistake
Avoid using this word to describe adults, as it will sound condescending or infantilizing. For adults, use 曳 or other descriptors like 頑皮 or 唔聽話 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
