mei4微
Jyutpingmei4
Yalemèih
Definition
Slight, light, or tiny in degree or size.
neutraldescriptions
How it's used
Used primarily in formal or compound words to denote something small in scale or degree. While it appears in everyday speech, it is rarely used as a standalone adjective to describe physical size, where words like 細 or 細小 are preferred. It frequently appears in medical or technical contexts to describe symptoms or changes that are barely perceptible.
Examples
His wound is very minor, just put a bandage on it.
It is drizzling today, remember to bring an umbrella.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this as a direct synonym for small in casual conversation, as it sounds overly literary or clinical. For describing small objects or people, always use 細 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
