fai3 san4費神费神
Jyutpingfai3 san4
Yalefai sàhn
Definition
Energy-consuming; to take up a lot of mental effort or energy.
colloquialdaily actionswork
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the mental effort or cognitive load required for a task, rather than physical exhaustion. It often implies that the subject has gone out of their way to worry about or meticulously plan something. It is frequently used in a slightly apologetic or polite tone when asking someone to do something that might be troublesome for them.
Examples
This matter is very energy-consuming, think it through carefully first.
He really spent a lot of mental energy on this plan.
Related words
Common phrases
no need to worry or go to trouble
very mentally taxing
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 費力, which typically refers to physical exertion or manual labor. Using 費神 when you mean physical effort sounds unnatural to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
