sam1 tau4心頭心头
Jyutpingsam1 tau4
Yalesām tàuh
Definition
One's mind or heart.
colloquialemotion
How it's used
Refers specifically to the internal state or the seat of one's emotions rather than the physical organ. It is frequently used in idiomatic expressions to describe heavy burdens, worries, or deep-seated feelings that are not easily expressed. Unlike the more general 心, this term carries a slightly more literary or emotive weight.
Examples
This matter has been weighing on my mind.
What exactly is on your mind?
Related words
Common phrases
feeling sweet and content
a heavy burden on one's mind
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the physical heart, which is 心臟. Learners often mistakenly use it as a direct synonym for heart in medical contexts, but it is strictly reserved for psychological or emotional states.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
