laan2 sing2懶醒懒醒
Jyutpinglaan2 sing2
Yaleláan síng
Definition
To pretend to be smart; to show off intelligence or expertise that one does not actually possess.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This term carries a strong sense of annoyance and is used to criticize someone who is being condescending or overconfident. It is frequently directed at people who offer unsolicited advice or try to correct others despite lacking the necessary expertise. The tone is confrontational and implies that the person's behavior is both irritating and transparently foolish.
Examples
If you don't know how to do it, stop acting like an expert; you've messed everything up.
He is always acting like a know-it-all when teaching others, even though he hasn't sorted out his own work yet.
Related words
Common phrases
acting like a know-it-all and showing off
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe someone who is genuinely intelligent or helpful. It is strictly for mocking someone who is acting arrogant or pretending to have knowledge they clearly lack.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
