sam1 geng1 daam2 tiu3心驚膽跳心惊胆跳
Jyutpingsam1 geng1 daam2 tiu3
Yalesām gēng dáam tiu
Definition
To tremble with fear; to be panic-stricken or terrified.
colloquialemotiondescriptions
How it's used
This idiom is frequently used to describe a visceral reaction to suspenseful movies, horror stories, or dangerous situations. It carries a strong sense of physical anxiety, as if the heart is literally jumping out of the chest. It is more intense than just being scared and implies a sustained state of nervousness rather than a momentary jolt.
Examples
The accident he described really made me tremble with fear.
Related words
Common phrases
scared to death
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a simple adjective like 驚, but it is a descriptive idiom that functions more like a verb phrase. Avoid using it to describe mild nervousness, as it implies a level of fear that is physically overwhelming.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
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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).
