sat1 lai5失禮失礼
Jyutpingsat1 lai5
Yalesāt láih
Definition
To lose face, behave impolitely, or cause embarrassment; also used as a polite apology for a shortcoming.
- to behave impolitely; to lose face; to be embarrassing
- a polite apology for showing disrespect, a mess, or an inadequate gift
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
Used primarily as a self-deprecating expression of humility when hosting guests or presenting gifts. It functions as a social lubricant to acknowledge that one's hospitality or offering might fall short of the recipient's expectations. It is deeply rooted in the cultural value of modesty, where one downplays their own efforts to show respect to others.
Examples
I am sorry for the poor preparation.
This gift is quite small, I apologize for the lack of grandeur.
Related words
Common phrases
I apologize for the poor hospitality
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of being rude or losing face, which is how it is used in other contexts. When used as a polite phrase, it is almost always followed by 晒 to soften the tone and emphasize the speaker's humble attitude.
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.
