soeng1 bei1傷悲伤悲
Jyutpingsoeng1 bei1
Yalesēung bēi
Definition
Sad, sorrowful, and grieved.
writtenemotion
How it's used
Literary in tone, this term is rarely used in casual daily conversation compared to 傷心. It carries a heavier, more poetic weight often found in lyrics or written prose. Using it in a mundane context can make the speaker sound overly dramatic or like they are reciting a poem.
Examples
Seeing how sad they are, I don't even know how to comfort them.
Why are you so sad? What happened?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use this as a direct translation for sad, but it sounds unnatural in everyday speech. Stick to 傷心 or 唔開心 for common situations to avoid sounding pretentious.
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.
