jim4 saam1 jim4 sei3嫌三嫌四
Jyutpingjim4 saam1 jim4 sei3
Yaleyìhm sāam yìhm sei
Definition
To constantly complain and be extremely picky, finding fault with everything.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
This idiom carries a strong sense of annoyance, implying that the person is being overly picky or hard to please. It is frequently used to call out someone who is being ungrateful or difficult when they should just accept the situation as it is. It is almost exclusively used in negative contexts to criticize someone's attitude.
Examples
He complained about his job constantly and eventually quit.
Related words
Common phrases
always complaining about everything
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply expressing a preference. It specifically describes a repetitive, annoying habit of finding faults in everything, rather than just stating a single dislike.
Grammar color guide
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Verb
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Adverb
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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.
