cai1 loeng4淒涼凄凉

Jyutpingcai1 loeng4

Yalechāi lèuhng

形容詞Common

Definition

Miserable, woeful, or pitiful.

colloquialemotionpeople

How it's used

Often used to describe a sense of desolation or loneliness rather than just physical pain. It carries a heavy emotional weight, suggesting a situation that is not only unfortunate but also evokes pity or sadness in the observer. It is frequently applied to people living in poverty or those experiencing profound social isolation.

Examples

keoi5佢jat1一go3個jan4人zyu6住，maan5晚maan5晚dou1都hou2好cai1淒loeng4涼。

Living alone, they feel so miserable every single night.

gin3見dou2到keoi5佢gam3咁cai1淒loeng4涼，ngo5我dou1都m4唔zi1知dim2點bong1幫hou2好。

Seeing them in such a woeful state, I really don't know how to help.

Common phrases

maan5晚ging2景cai1淒loeng4涼

miserable in one's later years

cai1淒loeng4涼haa6下coeng4場

a miserable ending

Common mistake

Avoid using this to describe minor inconveniences or simple bad luck. It is reserved for genuinely distressing or pathetic circumstances, so applying it to something trivial like missing a bus will sound overly dramatic or sarcastic.