haan4 sam1閒心闲心
Jyutpinghaan4 sam1
Yalehàahn sām
Definition
Leisurely mood; a relaxed state of mind.
colloquialemotiondaily actions
How it's used
Focuses on the mental state of being free from worries or pressing tasks rather than just having free time. It often appears in negative constructions to emphasize that someone is too overwhelmed or stressed to enjoy leisure activities. Use it when describing a lack of headspace for non-essential matters.
Examples
How could I possibly be in the mood to watch a movie right now?
Related words
Common phrases
not in the mood
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 閒時, which refers specifically to spare time or leisure hours. 閒心 is about the internal feeling of tranquility, whereas 閒時 is about the external availability of time.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
