lung4 maa5 zing1 san4龍馬精神龙马精神
Jyutpinglung4 maa5 zing1 san4
Yalelùhng máh jīng sàhn
Definition
Full of vitality; a wishing phrase to bless someone with abundant energy and vigor.
colloquialfestivalhealth
How it's used
Primarily used as a formal or semi-formal greeting during the Lunar New Year to wish someone good health and high energy. It carries a slightly traditional and auspicious tone, making it perfect for elders or business associates. Unlike casual compliments about energy, this phrase is almost exclusively reserved for festive blessings.
Examples
Wishing you great vitality and good health!
Seeing you so full of energy, you must have rested well.
Related words
Common phrases
Wishing you vitality
Common mistake
Avoid using this in casual, everyday conversation with friends, as it sounds overly formal and like a rehearsed greeting. It is strictly a blessing for health and vigor, not a description of someone's current mood or personality.
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.
