saat3 naa5剎那刹那

Jyutpingsaat3 naa5

Yalesaat náh

名詞Rare

Definition

An instant; a split second or a very brief moment.

neutraltimedescriptions

How it's used

Refers to a fleeting moment or an extremely short duration, often carrying a slightly poetic or dramatic tone. It is frequently used to describe emotional states or sudden realizations that pass quickly. While it functions as a noun, it is almost always modified by a quantifier like 一 or 嗰一 to emphasize the brevity of the experience.

Examples

hang6幸fuk1福wong5往wong5往zi2只hai6係jat1一saat3剎naa5那ge3嘅si6事。

Happiness is often just a matter of a split second.

nei5你gok3覺dak1得go2嗰jat1一saat3剎naa5那jau5有mou5冇sam1心dung6動gwo3過？

Did you feel your heart flutter for that split second?

Common phrases

jat1一saat3剎naa5那

in a split second

Common mistake

Avoid using it as a direct translation for the English word second in a literal timekeeping sense, as it implies a philosophical or emotional brevity rather than a precise unit of measurement.