jau1 sam1憂心忧心

Jyutpingjau1 sam1

Yaleyāu sām

形容詞

Definition

To worry; to feel anxious, concerned, or uneasy.

colloquialemotion

How it's used

Expresses a deeper, more lingering sense of concern compared to the more common 擔心. It often implies a state of mind that persists over time rather than a momentary reaction to a specific event. While 擔心 can be used for minor daily anxieties, 憂心 carries a slightly more serious or heavy tone.

Examples

gin3見dou2到keoi5佢gam3咁jau1憂sam1心，ngo5我dou1都m4唔zi1知dim2點on1安wai3慰hou2好。

Seeing them so worried, I don't know how to comfort them.

nei5你sai2使mat1乜gam3咁jau1憂sam1心aa4呀，si6事cing4情zung2總wui2會gaai2解kyut3決㗎。

Why are you so worried? Things will get resolved eventually.

Common phrases

jau1憂sam1心cung1忡cung1忡

deeply worried

Common mistake

Avoid using 憂心 in casual, trivial situations like worrying about missing a bus, as it sounds overly dramatic or literary. Use 擔心 for everyday concerns instead.