sat1 wan4失魂
Jyutpingsat1 wan4
Yalesāt wàhn
Definition
Careless, forgetful, or absent-minded.
colloquialdescriptionspeople
How it's used
Describes a state of being mentally scattered or prone to minor mishaps caused by lack of focus. It is frequently used to tease friends or family members who are habitually forgetful or clumsy. The imagery often implies that one's soul has momentarily left their body, leading to a loss of situational awareness.
Examples
Why are you so absent-minded, you even forgot to take your keys?
He is always so scatterbrained, it is easy for him to make mistakes at work.
Related words
Common phrases
a scatterbrained person
distraught and out of one's mind
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with being genuinely mentally ill or having a serious cognitive impairment. It is strictly used for everyday, trivial lapses in attention like misplacing items or forgetting simple instructions.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
