laai1 mei1孻屘
Jyutpinglaai1 mei1
Yalelāai mēi
Definition
To come last or be the very last in sequence.
colloquialfamilypeople
How it's used
Refers specifically to the youngest child in a family, often carrying a connotation of being the most pampered or spoiled. It is a highly colloquial term that feels more intimate and culturally grounded than the standard term 細佬 or 細妹. While it can technically apply to any youngest sibling, it is most frequently used to describe the baby of the family who receives extra attention from parents and older siblings.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with general terms for small or young like 細. Remember that this word is almost exclusively reserved for family birth order and should not be used to describe young people in general or small objects.
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.
