jat1 soeng1 cing4 jyun6一廂情願一厢情愿
Jyutpingjat1 soeng1 cing4 jyun6
Yaleyāt sēung chìhng yuhn
Definition
One-sided wishful thinking; a subjective desire or assumption that is not shared by the other party.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
This idiom describes a situation where someone assumes a certain outcome based solely on their own desires, ignoring the reality of the other party's feelings or intentions. It is frequently used to describe unrequited romantic interests or business deals that one side assumes are settled before they actually are. The tone is often critical or cautionary, implying that the person is being naive or unrealistic.
Examples
You think she likes you, but that is actually just your own wishful thinking.
Related words
Common phrases
completely just wishful thinking
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple desire or plan. It specifically implies a lack of reciprocity or agreement from the other person involved, so it should not be used to describe a goal you are working towards with others.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
