gaai2 mun6解悶解闷
Jyutpinggaai2 mun6
Yalegáai muhn
Definition
To relieve or divert oneself from boredom through activities.
colloquialdaily actionsemotion
How it's used
Focuses on the active process of alleviating a state of boredom rather than just killing time. It often implies seeking a distraction or a hobby to fill a void. Unlike just relaxing, it carries a sense of needing an external stimulus to feel mentally engaged.
Examples
He bought a cat to keep him company and cure his boredom.
What activities do you usually do to pass the time?
Related words
Common phrases
find something to do to kill boredom
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 消磨時間, which simply means to pass time. 解悶 specifically targets the feeling of being bored or lonely, whereas 消磨時間 can be used for any activity done while waiting or having nothing to do.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
