sat1 jin4失言

Jyutpingsat1 jin4

Yalesāt yìhn

動詞Rare

Definition

To make a slip of the tongue or make indiscreet, careless remarks.

neutralcommunication

How it's used

Carries a formal tone that implies a lapse in judgment or a failure to maintain social decorum. It is rarely used in casual, intimate conversation among friends, where people would instead say 講錯嘢 or 講漏嘴. Use this word when discussing professional settings, public speeches, or situations where the speaker should have known better.

Examples

keoi5佢喺hai2會wui6議ji5上soeng6面min6失sat1言，jin4搞gaau2到dou3場coeng4面min2好hou2尷gaam3尬。

He made an indiscreet remark during the meeting, which made the situation very awkward.

nei5你tau4頭sin1先gam3咁joeng2樣gong2講je5嘢，hai6係mai6咪sat1失jin4言aa4呀？

What you just said, was that a slip of the tongue?

Common phrases

zau2酒hau6後sat1失jin4言

to make an indiscreet remark after drinking

gung1公hoi1開sat1失jin4言

to make an indiscreet remark in public

Common mistake

Learners often confuse this with 講錯嘢, which is a neutral way to say someone misspoke or made a factual error. 失言 specifically highlights the social or political consequence of the remark rather than just a simple mistake in wording.