jan4 sam1 wong4 wong4人心惶惶
Jyutpingjan4 sam1 wong4 wong4
Yaleyàhn sām wòhng wòhng
Definition
An atmosphere of widespread panic, anxiety, and unease among the public.
neutralpeopleemotion
How it's used
This idiom describes a collective state of anxiety or unease within a group, organization, or society. It is often used in news reports or formal discussions to characterize the atmosphere during times of crisis, such as health scares or economic instability. While it is a four-character idiom, it fits naturally into spoken Cantonese when describing a tense environment.
Examples
The economy is so bad that it has caused widespread panic.
Rumors of layoffs have made everyone in the company feel anxious.
Related words
Common phrases
to cause widespread panic
a state of general panic
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.
