cak1 jan2惻隱恻隐
Jyutpingcak1 jan2
Yalechāk yán
Definition
Compassion; a feeling of pity and a desire to help when seeing others' misfortune.
neutralemotionpeople
How it's used
This term is almost exclusively used in the set phrase 惻隱之心. It carries a slightly formal or literary weight, often appearing in discussions about morality or human nature rather than casual daily chatter. While it describes a genuine feeling of pity, it is rarely used as a standalone verb or adjective in spoken Cantonese.
Examples
Seeing him in such a miserable state, I really feel a sense of compassion.
How can you be so heartless and lack any compassion?
Related words
Common phrases
a heart of compassion
Common mistake
Learners often try to use it as a common adjective to describe someone who is kind, but it is specifically reserved for the feeling of pity or sympathy towards someone suffering. Using it to describe general kindness or friendliness sounds unnatural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
