san4神
Jyutpingsan4
Yalesàhn
Definition
Spirit, mind, or mental energy.
colloquialbodyemotion
How it's used
Refers to a person's mental state or vitality rather than a religious deity in most daily contexts. It frequently appears in compound words describing alertness or energy levels. When someone lacks this quality, they are often described as 冇神冇氣.
Examples
You need to focus your mind when you work.
Related words
Common phrases
listless and lacking energy
Common mistake
Avoid confusing this with the Mandarin usage where it can refer to a god or deity, as in Cantonese this is usually expressed as 神仙 or 神明.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
