jam1 sap1陰濕阴湿
Jyutpingjam1 sap1
Yaleyām sāp
Definition
Cunning, insidious, or underhanded.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Describes someone who acts in a sneaky, underhanded, or untrustworthy manner, often implying they hide their true intentions to gain an advantage. It carries a strong negative connotation and is used to warn others about someone's character. While it can describe a person, it is also frequently used to label specific actions or schemes as being morally questionable or cowardly.
Examples
He is a cunning person who is always playing dirty tricks behind people's backs.
Why did you have to use such underhanded tactics to win this competition?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of damp or humid weather, which is also written as 陰濕. Context is crucial, as the personality trait usage is metaphorical and far more common in daily speech than the meteorological one.
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.
