si4 mak1時嘜时唛
Jyutpingsi4 mak1
Yalesìh māk
Definition
Stylish, fashionable, smart, or trendy.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Borrowed directly from the English word smart, this term is used to describe someone who is clever, sharp, or quick-witted. It carries a slightly informal tone and is often used in casual conversation to praise someone's intelligence or quick thinking. Occasionally, it can be used sarcastically to describe someone who thinks they are cleverer than they actually are.
Examples
Your son is so smart, he knows how to pack his own school bag.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe someone who is well-dressed or stylish, as the English word smart can mean, because in Cantonese it strictly refers to intelligence or cleverness.
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.
