jan2 hei3 tan1 seng1忍氣吞聲忍气吞声
Jyutpingjan2 hei3 tan1 seng1
Yaleyán hei tān sēng
Definition
To swallow insults and humiliation silently, enduring indignity or grievance without protest.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
This idiom describes a state of forced submission where one suppresses anger or resentment to avoid conflict. It implies a sense of helplessness or strategic endurance rather than genuine forgiveness. People often use it to describe workplace dynamics or toxic relationships where speaking up would lead to negative consequences.
Examples
He is always being bullied, yet he endures it silently every time.
Related words
Common phrases
have no choice but to endure silently
Common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse this with 啞忍, which focuses specifically on the act of suffering in silence. While 忍氣吞聲 carries a stronger nuance of swallowing one's anger and humiliation, 啞忍 is a more general term for enduring something without complaining.
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.
