fau4 cam4浮沉

Jyutpingfau4 cam4

Yalefàuh chàhm

名詞Uncommon

Definition

To drift along, go through ups and downs, or wander through suffering.

to have a turbulent life with ups and downs
to conform blindly and lose oneself in the crowd
to struggle or suffer in a miserable situation

colloquialpeopleemotion

How it's used

This term carries a heavy, often melancholic weight, frequently used to describe someone struggling against the currents of fate or society. It is rarely used for literal physical floating, instead functioning as a metaphor for a life lacking stability or direction. You will often hear it paired with nouns like 苦海 or 毒海 to emphasize a state of being trapped in misery or addiction.

Examples

keoi5佢喺hai2呢le1行haang4浮fau4沉cam4咗zo2好hou2多do1年。

He has been drifting in this industry for many years.

jan4人sang1生fau4浮cam4沉，bin1邊go3個ho2可ji5以jyu6預zi1知mei6未loi4來？

Life has its ups and downs, who can predict the future?

Related words

Common phrases

fu2苦hoi2海fau4浮cam4沉

drifting in a sea of suffering

duk6毒hoi2海fau4浮cam4沉

struggling in the world of drug addiction

Common mistake

Do not use this to describe literal objects floating on water, as that would be 浮喺水面. It is strictly reserved for abstract, metaphorical, or existential contexts regarding a person's life journey.