lyut3劣
Jyutpinglyut3
Yalelyut
Definition
Bad, inferior, or of low quality; below standard.
neutraldescriptions
How it's used
Unlike the more common 差, which is used in almost every situation to mean bad, 劣 is more formal and typically describes the inherent quality or standard of an object or performance. It often appears in compound words like 劣質 or 劣評 to emphasize a lack of merit or substandard condition. You will rarely hear it used alone in casual speech, as it sounds slightly academic or journalistic.
Examples
The quality of this restaurant is very poor.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 劣 as a direct synonym for 差 in everyday casual conversation, as it can sound overly stiff or pretentious. Use 差 for general situations like being late, feeling unwell, or a bad mood, whereas 劣 is reserved for evaluating the objective quality of things.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
