hung1 san1空身
Jyutpinghung1 san1
Yalehūng sān
Definition
Empty-handed; without carrying any items or accompanied by anyone.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
Focuses on the lack of baggage or burden, often implying a sense of lightness or lack of preparation. It is frequently used when someone arrives at a destination without their usual belongings or gear. While it can describe a physical state, it also carries a connotation of being unencumbered or free from responsibility.
Examples
He came over empty-handed today, he didn't bring anything.
Are you planning to travel empty-handed?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 兩手空空, which is an idiom often used to describe someone who has failed to achieve a goal or has no money left. 空身 specifically refers to the act of not carrying items with you, whereas 兩手空空 often carries a sense of disappointment or loss.
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.
