sam1 gei1心機心机
Jyutpingsam1 gei1
Yalesām gēi
Definition
Effort, concentration, passion, or the mood to put care and attention into something.
colloquialemotiondaily actions
How it's used
Refers to the mental energy or genuine dedication invested in a task rather than just physical labor. It is frequently used in the negative form 冇心機 to describe a lack of motivation or a feeling of listlessness. When someone says they have 花心機 on something, they are emphasizing that they have poured their heart and soul into it.
Examples
He put a lot of effort into making this cake.
Why are you not in the mood? Are you feeling unwell?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the English word heart or the Mandarin term 心機, which often carries a negative connotation of being calculating or manipulative. In Cantonese, it is almost always positive, referring to sincere effort or the state of being motivated.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
