haa4 soeng2遐想
Jyutpinghaa4 soeng2
Yalehàh séung
Definition
Reverie, daydream, or fantasy that is detached from reality.
neutralemotiondescriptions
How it's used
This word carries a slightly more literary or poetic tone compared to the common word 幻想. It often implies a sense of distance or longing, suggesting thoughts that drift far away from the immediate reality. While it can be used in daily speech, it is more frequently encountered in written media or when describing someone who is lost in deep, abstract contemplation.
Examples
He always has some unrealistic fantasies.
What kind of daydreaming are you doing again?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 想像, which simply means imagination. Unlike 想像, which can be neutral or creative, 遐想 specifically carries the nuance of being detached from reality or drifting into a dreamlike state.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
