ou3 fui3懊悔
Jyutpingou3 fui3
Yaleou fui
Definition
To deeply regret or feel remorse over something.
writtenemotion
How it's used
懊悔 carries a much heavier emotional weight than the common word 後悔. It implies a deep sense of self-reproach or moral distress rather than just a simple wish that things had gone differently. It is rarely used in casual, everyday speech and often appears in written contexts or when describing significant life regrets.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
to feel deep remorse
Common mistake
Learners often use 懊悔 for minor inconveniences like missing a bus or forgetting an umbrella, but it sounds overly dramatic and unnatural in those situations. Use 後悔 for everyday regrets instead.
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.
