san4 hei3神氣神气
Jyutpingsan4 hei3
Yalesàhn hei
Definition
Impressive, smart, or glamorous in appearance or manner.
colloquialdescriptionspeople
How it's used
Describes someone who carries themselves with a sense of pride, confidence, or style. It often implies a visual flair or an imposing presence that commands attention. While it can be used for general smartness, it leans heavily towards an air of self-importance or looking particularly sharp for an occasion.
Examples
He looks quite smart in that suit.
You look so glamorous today, where are you going?
Related words
Common phrases
full of spirit and confidence
Common mistake
Avoid confusing this with the Mandarin usage, where it can sometimes imply being arrogant or cocky. In Cantonese, it is generally a positive compliment about someone's appearance or demeanor.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
