jat6 mei5溢美
Jyutpingjat6 mei5
Yaleyaht méih
Definition
To praise excessively or give undeserved compliments.
writtendescriptionscommunication
How it's used
This term carries a strong nuance of insincerity or exaggeration, often implying that the praise is excessive or undeserved. It is almost exclusively used in formal or literary contexts, making it sound quite stiff or pretentious if used in casual daily conversation. When people want to express the same idea in a more natural way, they usually prefer using phrases like 擦鞋 or 講好說話.
Examples
Just ignore those flowery compliments of his.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a standard, polite way to say someone is being nice, but it actually carries a negative connotation of flattery or empty praise. Using it to describe a genuine compliment can sound sarcastic or confusing to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
