siu2 jau5少有
Jyutpingsiu2 jau5
Yalesíu yáuh
Definition
Rare, uncommon, or infrequent.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Use this to describe events or behaviors that deviate from the expected norm. It carries a sense of surprise or observation, often paired with 喎 to emphasize that the speaker finds the situation unusual. Unlike the formal word 罕見, this is perfectly suited for casual remarks about someone's daily habits or minor occurrences.
Examples
He rarely reacts so strongly like this.
It is truly rare to see him at work today.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 少, which simply means 'few' or 'little'. While 少 refers to quantity, 少有 specifically describes the infrequency or rarity of an occurrence happening.
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.
