paak3 sam1 hau2拍心口
Jyutpingpaak3 sam1 hau2
Yalepaak sām háu
Definition
To beat one's chest as a guarantee; to confidently take full responsibility or promise to help out.
colloquialdaily actionspeople
How it's used
This expression visually represents someone hitting their own chest to signal reliability and courage. It is almost exclusively used to emphasize that a person is taking full personal responsibility for a task or outcome. It carries a strong sense of sincerity and commitment that goes beyond a simple promise.
Examples
I promise to handle this matter for you.
What are you worried about? He promised with full confidence that he would help.
Related words
Common phrases
to have promised with absolute certainty
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with physical actions of hitting one's chest out of frustration or anger. It is strictly used in the context of taking responsibility or making a firm guarantee.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
