siu2 ji4 fo1小兒科小儿科
Jyutpingsiu2 ji4 fo1
Yalesíu yìh fō
Definition
Pediatrics, or figuratively, something extremely easy to do; a piece of cake.
- technicalpediatrics; the branch of medicine dealing with children
- figurativea piece of cake; something very easy to do
colloquialdescriptionswork
How it's used
While technically referring to the medical specialty of pediatrics, this term is far more frequently used metaphorically to dismiss a task as trivial or beneath one's skill level. It carries a slightly condescending or arrogant tone when used to describe work that others might find challenging. It is often paired with particles like 啫 or 啦 to emphasize how effortless the task is.
Examples
These simple things are just a piece of cake for him.
Related words
Common phrases
simply a piece of cake
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a child who is actually sick, as it refers to the medical field itself or the ease of a task, not a patient. If you want to talk about a sick child, use 細路仔病咗 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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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.
