saan1潸
Jyutpingsaan1
Yalesāan
Definition
To shed tears; tearfully.
writtenemotion
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively used in the formal idiom 潸然淚下. It is a literary term that sounds very out of place in casual, everyday speech. Native speakers would typically use 喊 or 流眼淚 instead.
Examples
Why are you crying so tearfully?
Related words
Common phrases
to shed tears
Common mistake
Learners often try to use this as a standalone verb for crying, but it is not a functional verb in modern Cantonese. It is strictly a literary component of a specific four-character phrase.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
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Particle
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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.
