hei1 heoi1唏噓唏嘘
Jyutpinghei1 heoi1
Yalehēi hēui
Definition
To sigh with helplessness or sorrow; feeling helpless, disappointed, or full of pity.
colloquialemotiondescriptions
How it's used
This term captures a specific blend of nostalgia, helplessness, and sadness that arises when reflecting on the passage of time or the decline of something once familiar. It is often used to describe the bittersweet feeling of seeing people or places change for the worse. Unlike a simple sigh of frustration, it carries a deeper sense of existential resignation.
Examples
Seeing how much my old classmate has changed, I feel really wistful.
The closure of this old shop makes many neighbors feel quite melancholic.
Related words
Common phrases
overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness and pity
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a verb meaning to physically sigh, but it is primarily an adjective describing an emotional state. Avoid using it to describe the act of exhaling air, for which 嘆氣 is the correct term.
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.
