koi3 taan3慨歎慨叹
Jyutpingkoi3 taan3
Yalekoi taan
Definition
To sigh with regret.
writtenemotioncommunication
How it's used
Expresses a sense of philosophical or melancholic reflection rather than just physical exhaustion or frustration. It is frequently used in written or formal speech to describe someone lamenting the state of affairs or the passage of time. While it can be used in conversation, it carries a slightly literary or dramatic tone compared to simply saying 嘆氣.
Examples
After reading the report, he sighed at the impermanence of life.
Why are you suddenly sighing with regret?
Related words
Common phrases
lament the nature of life
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 嘆氣, which is a neutral or physical act of sighing. 慨歎 specifically implies a deeper, often sorrowful or reflective emotional weight regarding a situation.
Grammar color guide
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Verb
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Adverb
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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.
