siu2 sam1 jik6 jik6小心翼翼
Jyutpingsiu2 sam1 jik6 jik6
Yalesíu sām yihk yihk
Definition
With the utmost care; extremely cautious and careful.
colloquialdescriptionsdaily actions
How it's used
This idiom implies a sense of nervousness or extreme focus while performing a delicate task. It is often used to describe someone acting with such caution that they seem almost timid or overly protective of the object they are handling. While it is a four-character idiom, it fits naturally into spoken Cantonese when followed by the particle 咁.
Examples
He held the cake with the utmost care, afraid of ruining it.
Walk very carefully, the floor is very slippery.
Related words
Common phrases
do something with the utmost care
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a general way to say be careful, but it is specifically used for actions requiring precision or delicacy. For general warnings to be careful, use 小心 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
