maan6 nim6 keoi1 fui1萬念俱灰万念俱灰

Jyutpingmaan6 nim6 keoi1 fui1

Yalemaahn nihm kēui fūi

形容詞

Definition

Completely disheartened and hopeless, in extreme despair and depression.

writtenemotion

How it's used

This idiom carries a heavy, literary weight that implies a total abandonment of all worldly desires or hopes. It is rarely used in casual, lighthearted conversation and is reserved for describing profound emotional wreckage or a complete loss of faith in life. Because it originates from classical Chinese, using it in daily speech can sound quite dramatic or poetic.

Examples

keoi5佢syu1輸saai3晒so2所jau5有cin2錢zi1之hau6後，zan1真hai6係maan6萬nim6念keoi1俱fui1灰。

After he lost all his money, he was truly in total despair.

min6面deoi3對ni1呢go3個git3結gwo2果，nei5你hai6係mai6咪gok3覺dak1得maan6萬nim6念keoi1俱fui1灰aa4呀？

Faced with this result, do you feel completely hopeless?

Common phrases

gam2感dou3到maan6萬nim6念keoi1俱fui1灰

to feel completely disheartened

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a simple way to say sad or disappointed. It is far more intense than 唔開心 or 失望, as it suggests a state of existential despair rather than just a bad mood.