siu2 gwai2 m4 gin3 dak1 daai6 san4小鬼唔見得大神小鬼唔见得大神
Jyutpingsiu2 gwai2 m4 gin3 dak1 daai6 san4
Yalesíu gwái m̀h gin dāk daaih sàhn
Definition
Stingy; petty; not generous; unwilling to spend money or share things.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
This idiom describes someone who lacks the stature or confidence to handle grand situations, often manifesting as extreme stinginess or pettiness. It implies that the person is used to small, insignificant matters and feels uncomfortable or threatened when faced with larger, more respectable circumstances. It is a sharp, critical way to describe someone who fails to show proper magnanimity.
Examples
He is really stingy, even being so calculative when treating others.
Don't be so petty, try to be more generous.
Related words
Common phrases
to have a petty and stingy personality
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is simply poor or lacks money. It specifically targets a personality flaw or a lack of social grace, implying the person is acting small-minded despite the situation calling for generosity.
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.
