san1呻
Jyutpingsan1
Yalesān
Definition
To complain, vent, or express one's discontent or distress.
colloquialemotiondaily actions
How it's used
Focuses on the act of venting or airing grievances rather than just stating facts. It often implies a repetitive or whiny quality, similar to the sound of moaning or groaning. It is frequently used when someone is unloading their emotional burden onto a friend.
Examples
You are always complaining about being tired, why don't you go to sleep earlier?
Related words
Common phrases
to regret a foolish mistake and complain about it
to complain about being broke
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 投訴, which refers to a formal complaint made to an organization or authority. 呻 is strictly for informal, personal venting between peers.
Grammar color guide
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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).
