tai2 siu2睇小
Jyutpingtai2 siu2
Yaletái síu
Definition
To look down upon, belittle, or underestimate someone.
colloquialpeopleemotion
How it's used
Carries a strong sense of underestimating someone's capability or status. It is frequently used in defensive contexts where the speaker feels their worth is being unfairly judged by others. Unlike formal terms for discrimination, this is a direct, personal accusation of arrogance.
Examples
Don't look down on people, he actually has a lot of ability.
Related words
Common phrases
do not look down on
to be looked down upon by others
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 睇少, which literally means to see less of something or to have a smaller quantity of something. While they sound similar, 睇小 is about attitude and respect, whereas 睇少 is about amount or frequency.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
