zi6 heoi2自詡自诩
Jyutpingzi6 heoi2
Yalejih héui
Definition
To boast or praise oneself, often carrying a derogatory connotation.
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Carries a strong negative connotation, implying that the speaker is being arrogant or full of themselves. It is often used to expose someone who is exaggerating their own achievements or abilities to gain social status. Unlike simple bragging, it suggests a formal or pretentious tone that makes the speaker sound even more insincere.
Examples
He is always boasting about how smart he is, but actually nobody cares.
Why do you need to boast about how many good deeds you have done?
Related words
Common phrases
to boast oneself as
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a neutral way to describe self-praise, but it is almost exclusively used to criticize someone else's behavior. Using it to describe your own actions will sound extremely pompous or unnatural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
