ngaan5 bat1 gin3 wai4 zing6眼不見為淨眼不见为净
Jyutpingngaan5 bat1 gin3 wai4 zing6
Yalengáahn bāt gin wàih jihng
Definition
Out of sight, out of mind; to prefer not to look at unpleasant things to maintain peace of mind.
colloquialemotiondaily actions
How it's used
This phrase is essentially a literary idiom that has made its way into spoken Cantonese, though it sounds more formal or philosophical than the more common, punchy alternatives. It is typically used to justify ignoring a problem or a mess that one cannot fix, rather than describing a literal state of blindness. It carries a slightly resigned or cynical tone, suggesting that ignorance is a deliberate choice for the sake of peace of mind.
Examples
The kitchen is so dirty, I would rather not look at it.
Do you think you feel better by just choosing not to see it?
Related words
Common phrases
would rather choose to ignore it
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a literal description of hygiene, but it is strictly metaphorical. It is also significantly less common in casual, everyday banter than the more idiomatic 冇眼睇.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
