lin4憐怜

Jyutpinglin4

Yalelìhn

語素Uncommon

Definition

To pity, feel for, or sympathize with someone's misfortune.

colloquialemotion

How it's used

This character is rarely used as a standalone verb in modern spoken Cantonese, appearing almost exclusively in set idioms or literary contexts. When used colloquially, it often carries a nuance of condescending pity rather than genuine empathy. Native speakers typically prefer using 慘 or 可憐 when expressing sympathy for someone's misfortune.

Examples

gin3見dou2到keoi5佢gam3咁caam2慘，zan1真hai6係hou2好lin4憐keoi5佢。

Seeing how miserable they are, I really pity them.

nei5你m4唔hou2好lin4憐keoi5佢，keoi5佢hai6係zi6自zok3作zi6自sau6受。

Don't pity them, they brought this on themselves.

Common phrases

tung4同beng6病soeng1相lin4憐

fellow sufferers sympathize with each other

lin4憐man5憫

to have mercy or pity

Common mistake

Learners often confuse the verb usage of 憐 with the adjective 可憐. While 可憐 is a common adjective meaning pitiful or pathetic, using 憐 as a standalone verb can sound unnatural or overly dramatic to a local ear.