得意
dak1 ji3
The English word "cute" is translated into Cantonese as 得意 (dak1 ji3).
得意 is used to describe something or someone that is attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way. You might use the informal term 靚仔 (ling jai) specifically when describing cute boys or young men.
Meaning: attractive or pleasing in a youthful, dainty, quaint or fun-spirited way (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
To say that something is "very cute," you can add the adverb 好 (hou2) before the adjective to form 好得意.
How do you pronounce it?
dak1 ji3
Did you know?
- While 得意 means 'cute' today, its literal components mean 'to get' and 'meaning', which is nothing like the English concept of being adorable.
- While 得意 usually means 'cute', it can also mean 'proud of oneself' or 'smug' depending on the context. If someone says it with a certain tone, they might be calling you conceited rather than adorable.
- The term 得意 is often used to describe something 'original' or 'clever' in a way that doesn't quite exist in English, blending 'cute' with 'ingenious'.
Examples in context
- 好似好得意噃。This looks kind of cute.This sentence is useful for expressing that something looks kind of cute using 得意.Tatoeba #1039973 by kaenif, translation #1068778 by tigro1973
- 佢話你好得意。She says you're cute.This sentence is useful for reporting that someone said you are cute using 得意.Tatoeba #4826837 by kaenif, translation #2819425 by Hybrid
- 你唔覺得我好得意咩？Don't you think that I'm cute?This sentence is useful for asking if someone thinks you are cute using 得意.Tatoeba #13107946 by Gearhulk, translation #7520664 by CK
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ka Yan shows Zi Jian a small toy she bought.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan你看，呢個小玩偶好得意呀！nei kan, ni go siu waan ngau hou dak yi aa!Look, this little doll is so cute!
- 子健 Tsz Kin真係好得意，喺邊度買嘅？zan hai hou dak yi, hai bin do maai ge?It really is cute, where did you buy it?
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan喺嗰間文具店買嘅。hai go gaan man geoi dim maai ge.I bought it at that stationery store.
- 子健 Tsz Kin好得意，我想買個畀我妹。hou dak yi, ngo soeng maai go bei ngo mui.It's so cute, I want to buy one for my sister.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
