saan3 sam1散心
Jyutpingsaan3 sam1
Yalesaan sām
Definition
To relieve stress, boredom, or unhappiness, or to relax by doing something pleasant.
colloquialemotiondaily actions
How it's used
Focuses on the act of shifting one's attention away from negative emotions or repetitive routines by changing the environment or engaging in leisure. It implies a temporary escape rather than a permanent solution to a problem. You will often hear it used with the reduplicated form 散下心 to soften the tone and make the suggestion sound more casual.
Examples
I have been under a lot of work pressure lately and want to go relax.
Are you feeling down? Why don't I go with you to clear your head?
Related words
Common phrases
go to relax or clear one's head
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 休息, which specifically refers to resting or taking a break from physical exertion. 散心 is strictly about emotional or mental relief rather than physical recovery.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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.
