do1 sau4 sin6 gam2多愁善感
Jyutpingdo1 sau4 sin6 gam2
Yaledō sàuh sihn gám
Definition
Melancholic, sentimental, and easily moved to sadness.
colloquialemotiondescriptions
How it's used
This idiom describes someone who is prone to excessive emotional sensitivity or melancholy. It is often used to gently tease friends who get overly teary or affected by trivial events. While it sounds formal due to its four character structure, it is frequently used in casual conversation to describe personality traits.
Examples
They seem a bit too sentimental.
Related words
Common phrases
to have a sentimental personality
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a positive trait of being empathetic, but it usually carries a slightly negative connotation of being overly fragile or dramatic about one's feelings.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
