zeng1 gwaai1精乖
Jyutpingzeng1 gwaai1
Yalejēng gwāai
Definition
Smart and obedient; acting in a clever way that conforms with social expectations.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Describes someone, usually a child, who is both intelligent and well-behaved. It implies a sense of social awareness where the person knows how to act appropriately to gain favor or avoid trouble. It is a term of endearment often used by elders when praising younger people.
Examples
Your son is really smart and obedient, he listens so well.
He is usually so sensible and clever, how could he do something so foolish?
Related words
Common phrases
smart and clever
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is merely smart or academically gifted, as the element of being obedient or socially compliant is essential. It is not used for adults in a professional context unless you are speaking in a very patronizing or affectionate way.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
