hei3 neoi5氣餒气馁
Jyutpinghei3 neoi5
Yalehei néuih
Definition
To lose heart, to be discouraged, or to lose one's will to fight.
neutralemotiondescriptions
How it's used
Carries a formal or written tone that is less common in casual, everyday speech compared to the more frequent 泄氣. It is typically used in serious advice, motivational contexts, or when discussing personal perseverance. Using it in a very informal setting might sound slightly stiff or like you are reading from a book.
Examples
How can you succeed if you get discouraged after just a little setback?
Even if you lost the match, don't get discouraged.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 泄氣, which is the standard colloquial way to express feeling deflated or losing heart. While 氣餒 is perfectly understandable, it is rarely used in casual conversation between friends.
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.
