sat1 min4 zing3失眠症
Jyutpingsat1 min4 zing3
Yalesāt mìhn jing
Definition
Insomnia.
neutralhealth
How it's used
Refers specifically to the clinical diagnosis of chronic sleep deprivation rather than just a bad night of sleep. Native speakers often prefer the more casual verb phrase 瞓唔着 to describe the state of being unable to sleep, reserving this formal term for medical contexts or when discussing a persistent health condition.
Examples
He has developed insomnia recently and cannot sleep all night.
Do you have insomnia? Why are you always so lacking in energy?
Related words
Common phrases
to suffer from insomnia
to treat insomnia
Common mistake
Avoid using this term to describe a one-off night of poor sleep, as it implies a long-term medical issue. Use 瞓唔着 for general sleeplessness.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
