ji5 maau6 ceoi2 jan4以貌取人
Jyutpingji5 maau6 ceoi2 jan4
Yaleyíh maauh chéui yàhn
Definition
To judge people solely by their appearance.
neutralpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This idiom carries a negative connotation and is typically used to criticize someone for being shallow or unfair in their assessment of others. It functions as a verb phrase in a sentence, often appearing after a modal verb like 唔好 or 唔可以. While it is a formal idiom, it is frequently used in everyday speech to warn friends against making snap judgments based on fashion or physical attractiveness.
Examples
Don't judge people by their appearance, they are actually very talented.
Why do you always judge people by their appearance, only looking at their outer shell?
Related words
Common phrases
do not judge by appearance
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this as a noun to describe a person, but it is strictly a verb phrase describing the action of judging. You cannot say 佢係一個以貌取人， you must say 佢好鍾意以貌取人.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
