m4 gau3 sip3 ngaa4 laa3唔夠攝牙罅唔够摄牙罅
Jyutpingm4 gau3 sip3 ngaa4 laa3
Yalem̀h gau sip ngàh la
Definition
An extremely small amount of food that is far from enough to satisfy one's appetite.
colloquialfooddescriptions
How it's used
Literally referring to food getting stuck between teeth, this expression vividly describes a portion so small that it barely makes contact with the palate. It is used exclusively to complain about insufficient quantity rather than poor quality. People often use it hyperbolically when they are genuinely hungry and served a tiny snack.
Examples
This dish is too small, it is nowhere near enough to satisfy my hunger.
Related words
Common phrases
nowhere near enough to eat
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe food that is unappetizing or bland. It strictly refers to the volume of food being inadequate to fill one's stomach.
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.
