m4 maai4 dak1 go3 bei6唔埋得個鼻唔埋得个鼻
Jyutpingm4 maai4 dak1 go3 bei6
Yalem̀h màaih dāk go beih
Definition
Not worth any attention; insignificant; not fit to even be brought near one's nose.
colloquialdescriptionspeople
How it's used
This idiom is used to dismiss someone or something as completely beneath notice or unworthy of consideration. It carries a strong sense of disdain, suggesting that the subject is so low in quality or character that even acknowledging them is a waste of effort. It is frequently used when someone is being pestered by an annoying person or is being offered something of very poor quality.
Examples
That person is so terrible, they are really not worth any attention.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal physical description of being unable to touch one's nose, but it is strictly a metaphorical expression of contempt. Do not use it to describe actual physical proximity or medical conditions.
Grammar color guide
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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.
