bat1 ham1 wui4 sau2不堪回首

Jyutpingbat1 ham1 wui4 sau2

Yalebāt hām wùih sáu

Definition

Too painful or embarrassing to look back on; unbearable to recall.

writtenemotiondescriptions

How it's used

Carries a heavy, somber tone often reserved for traumatic or deeply regrettable life events. Unlike casual expressions of regret, this phrase implies that the memory is so distressing that the speaker actively avoids revisiting it. It is frequently used in reflective or dramatic contexts rather than lighthearted conversation.

Examples

go2嗰dyun6段jat6日zi2子zan1真hai6係bat1不ham1堪wui4回sau2首lo3囉。

That period of time is truly too painful to look back on.

nei5你zung6仲tai4提go2嗰gin2件si6事lai4嚟zou6做me1咩，bat1不ham1堪wui4回sau2首㗎。

Why are you still bringing that up? It's too painful to remember.

Common phrases

bat1不ham1堪wui4回sau2首ge3嘅wong5往si6事

painful memories that one cannot bear to look back on

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a general way to say something was bad, but it specifically refers to the act of looking back at a memory. Using it to describe a current situation that is simply annoying or inconvenient sounds overly dramatic and unnatural.