sei2 hei3 cam4 cam4死氣沉沉死气沉沉
Jyutpingsei2 hei3 cam4 cam4
Yaleséi hei chàhm chàhm
Definition
Lifeless, spiritless, or lacking vitality, describing a person's mood or the general atmosphere.
- depressed, gloomy, or lacking in energy and vitality
- figurativedull, lifeless, or lacking in energy
colloquialdescriptionsemotion
How it's used
Focuses on the lack of energy or vitality in a person or an environment. It is often used to describe a depressing atmosphere where people are quiet and disengaged, rather than just being tired. While it can describe a person, it is equally common to use it to describe a room or a social gathering that feels dull and heavy.
Examples
He is always so spiritless, as if he has lost all his motivation.
The atmosphere in this office is so lifeless, it is really suffocating.
Related words
Common phrases
the atmosphere is lifeless
a person is completely spiritless
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being tired or sleepy. It implies a deeper, more persistent state of gloom or lack of spirit, often bordering on hopelessness or a complete lack of enthusiasm.
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.
