haa6 waai4下懷下怀
Jyutpinghaa6 waai4
Yalehah wàaih
Definition
One's heart's desire; what one wants.
neutralemotionpeople
How it's used
Often used in the phrase 投其下懷, which describes intentionally doing something to satisfy someone else's secret desires or to play into their trap. It carries a slightly formal or literary weight compared to everyday words like 心水 or 鍾意. While it can refer to a genuine wish, it frequently appears in contexts involving manipulation or strategic planning.
Examples
This gift is exactly what he wanted.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 心水, but 下懷 is more specific to an underlying or hidden desire that someone is waiting to be fulfilled. It is rarely used in casual, lighthearted conversation about simple preferences.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
