sam1 seoi2心水
Jyutpingsam1 seoi2
Yalesām séui
Definition
One's thoughts, preference, mind, or opinion.
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
Refers to one's personal preference, choice, or a gut feeling about a situation. It is frequently used in contexts like horse racing or betting to describe a favored candidate, but it applies just as well to choosing a restaurant or a candidate for a job. It carries a sense of internal alignment or satisfaction with a particular option.
Examples
This proposal is not what I had in mind.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin term 心思, which usually refers to one's train of thought or intention. In Cantonese, 心水 is specifically about a preference or a mental pick, whereas 心思 is more about the effort or consideration put into something.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
