joek6 jau5 so2 sat1若有所失
Jyutpingjoek6 jau5 so2 sat1
Yaleyeuhk yáuh só sāt
Definition
To feel lost or bewildered, as if one has lost something.
writtenemotiondescriptions
How it's used
This is a formal idiom that describes a specific feeling of emptiness or missing something intangible, often used to describe someone who is absent minded or pensive. While it is a four character idiom, it is frequently used in spoken Cantonese by adding the particle 咁 to turn it into an adverbial phrase. It carries a slightly literary or poetic tone compared to simply saying 唔開心 or 迷惘.
Examples
He stared at the empty seat, looking as if he had lost something.
Why do you look so lost? Are you unhappy?
Related words
Common phrases
to have a lost or vacant expression
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for being physically lost or having lost a physical object, but it actually refers to a psychological state of feeling incomplete or distracted.
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.
