fui3悔

Jyutpingfui3

Yalefui

語素Uncommon

Definition

To regret or repent; to feel that one did something wrong and wish to do it over.

colloquialemotion

How it's used

Standalone use of 悔 is rare in modern spoken Cantonese, as it almost always appears as part of a compound like 後悔. It carries a formal or literary weight that makes it sound slightly dramatic when used on its own. Native speakers prefer using 後悔 or 覺得好後悔 to express the feeling of regret in daily life.

Examples

zou2早zi1知hai6係gam3咁，ngo5我zau6就m4唔wui2會gam3咁zou6做，zan1真hai6係hou2好fui3悔。

If I had known it would turn out like this, I wouldn't have done it; I really regret it.

nei5你zou6做co3錯zo2咗je5嘢，ji4而gaa1家fui3悔dou1都mou5冇jung6用laa1啦。

You did the wrong thing, it's useless to regret it now.

Common phrases

hau6後fui3悔

to regret

fui3悔goi2改

to repent and reform

Common mistake

Learners often try to use 悔 as a standalone verb, but it functions more like a root or a literary element. Always pair it with 後 to ensure the sentence sounds natural and idiomatic.