ceot1 sik1出息

Jyutpingceot1 sik1

Yalechēut sīk

名詞Rare

Definition

Prospect, future, ambition, or accomplishment; often used with "to have" or "to not have".

colloquialpeopledescriptions

How it's used

Focuses on a person's potential for success or their actual achievements in life. It is almost exclusively used in the negative or interrogative to comment on someone's lack of progress or to praise someone's potential. It carries a slightly moralizing tone, often used by elders to critique or encourage younger generations.

Examples

nei5你gam3咁sai3細go3個zau6就gam3咁kan4勤lik6力，dai6第si4時jat1一ding6定hou2好jau5有ceot1出sik1息。

You are so hardworking at such a young age, you will definitely have a bright future.

keoi5佢seng4成jat6日gwaa3掛zyu6住daa2打gei1機，zan1真hai6係mou5冇mat1乜ceot1出sik1息。

He is always obsessed with video games, he really has no ambition.

Common phrases

hou2好jau5有ceot1出sik1息

have a bright future

mou5冇mat1乜ceot1出sik1息

have no ambition

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with the Mandarin usage where it can sometimes refer to a specific achievement or profit. In Cantonese, it is almost always a general assessment of a person's character or life trajectory rather than a specific task completed.