ji5 gei2 dok6 jan4以己度人
Jyutpingji5 gei2 dok6 jan4
Yaleyíh géi dohk yàhn
Definition
To judge others by oneself; to measure others by one's own standards.
neutralpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This idiom serves as a critique of someone projecting their own motives or limitations onto others. It is often used in a slightly accusatory tone when someone assumes that because they would act a certain way, everyone else must be doing the same. It is a more sophisticated way to point out a lack of empathy or narrow-mindedness in social interactions.
Examples
Stop judging others by yourself all the time, everyone thinks differently.
keoi5佢seng4成jat6日ji5以gei2己dok6度jan4人，gok3覺dak1得cyun4全sai3世gaai3界dou1都tung4同keoi5佢jat1一joeng6樣gam3咁zi6自si1私。
He always judges others by himself, thinking the whole world is as selfish as he is.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a neutral way to say someone is empathetic, but it is almost exclusively used to call out someone for being narrow-minded or unfair in their assumptions.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
