cek3 zi2 zi1 sam1赤子之心
Definition
A sincere and kind heart; pure, innocent, and childlike benevolence.
How it's used
This idiom is used to describe someone who remains innocent, honest, and free from the corruption of the world despite the passage of time. It carries a positive, slightly literary tone and is often used to praise someone's enduring character or moral purity. While it is a four-character idiom, it fits naturally into spoken Cantonese sentences when expressing admiration for someone's integrity.
Measure word
pin2片pínExamples
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of a baby, but it is strictly used to describe the character of an older person or an adult. Do not use it to describe an actual infant, as the term specifically implies a contrast between the purity of childhood and the complexities of adulthood.
Grammar color guide
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
