heoi1 wing4 sam1虛榮心虚荣心
Jyutpingheoi1 wing4 sam1
Yalehēui wìhng sām
Definition
Vanity; a desire or yearning for vanity.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
This term describes an internal drive or psychological state rather than a simple action. It is frequently used to critique someone who prioritizes status symbols or public perception over substance. While it functions as a noun, it is often paired with adjectives like 重 to describe the intensity of the feeling.
Examples
She buys designer bags just out of vanity.
Why are you so vain?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with the adjective 虛榮, which describes a person or their behavior. Using 虛榮心 as an adjective directly, such as saying someone is 虛榮心, is grammatically incorrect; instead, use 虛榮 or say they have a heavy 虛榮心.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
