kei4 maau6 bat1 joeng4其貌不揚其貌不扬
Jyutpingkei4 maau6 bat1 joeng4
Yalekèih maauh bāt yèuhng
Definition
Unimpressive in appearance; plain-looking.
colloquialdescriptionspeople
How it's used
This idiom carries a slightly formal or literary tone despite being used in everyday speech to describe someone who is unassuming or plain. It is often used to contrast a person's unremarkable outer appearance with their impressive inner qualities, skills, or status. It functions as a polite or indirect way to describe someone who does not stand out in a crowd.
Examples
Although he is plain-looking, he is very talented.
Don't judge him by his plain appearance; he is actually a master.
Related words
Common phrases
a plain-looking person
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a negative insult, but it is actually a neutral or even positive observation that emphasizes the contrast between appearance and substance. It is not used to describe someone who is ugly, but rather someone who is simply average or unremarkable.
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.
