zi1 maa4芝麻
Jyutpingzi1 maa4
Yalejī màh
Definition
Sesame; referring both to the herbaceous plant and its seeds.
colloquialfood
How it's used
Beyond its literal meaning as a seed, the term is frequently used in the idiom 芝麻綠豆 to describe trivial, insignificant matters. It carries a sense of being tiny and numerous, often appearing in contexts where someone is complaining about being bothered by small, unimportant details.
Measure word
nap1粒nāpExamples
Related words
Common phrases
sesame paste dessert
trivial matters
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
