jam1 gung1陰公阴公
Jyutpingjam1 gung1
Yaleyām gūng
Definition
An exclamation of pity or dismay expressing sympathy for someone's misfortune.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
Expresses genuine sympathy or pity for someone's unfortunate situation. It often carries a slightly old-fashioned or dramatic flair, making it sound more emotive than simply saying 好慘. It is frequently used when witnessing someone suffer from bad luck or physical hardship.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin phrase 陰功, which can imply a negative or evil deed. In Cantonese, it is strictly an exclamation of pity and never refers to a bad action.
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.
