sai3 sik6細食细食
Jyutpingsai3 sik6
Yalesai sihk
Definition
Having a small appetite; eating very little.
colloquialfoodbody
How it's used
Describes someone who has a naturally small appetite rather than someone who is currently dieting or restricted by health. It is a very common way to explain why someone might leave food on their plate or order smaller portions when dining out. It functions as an adjective and is frequently paired with the particle 㗎 to soften the statement.
Examples
She usually doesn't eat much, she gets full after just a little bit.
You eat so little, how will you have enough energy to work?
Related words
Common phrases
to have a very small appetite
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 慳食, which implies eating very little to save money. 細食 is strictly about physical appetite, whereas 慳食 carries a connotation of frugality or deprivation.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
