zi1 jau4滋悠
Jyutpingzi1 jau4
Yalejī yàuh
Definition
Slow, leisurely, and easygoing.
colloquialdescriptionspeople
How it's used
Describes a person who moves or acts with a leisurely, unhurried pace that can sometimes border on being sluggish. While it often implies a relaxed and calm attitude, it can carry a slightly negative connotation of being inefficient or dragging one's feet depending on the context. It is frequently used to describe someone who is not easily flustered by deadlines or pressure.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
slow and calm
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe physical slowness caused by illness or disability, as it specifically refers to a personality trait or a chosen pace of action. It is not interchangeable with 慢, which is a neutral descriptor for speed.
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.
