soeng6 zeon3上進上进
Jyutpingsoeng6 zeon3
Yaleseuhng jeun
Definition
Ambitious and driven; striving for progress and success in one's career or studies.
neutralpeoplework
How it's used
Focuses on the internal drive or mindset of a person rather than just their current success. It is frequently used by parents or teachers to praise someone for their positive attitude towards self-improvement. While it can describe a state, it is most commonly used in the phrase 上進心 to denote the quality of having that ambition.
Examples
He is very ambitious and is always taking extra courses.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a person who is simply competitive or aggressive in business, as it specifically implies a desire for personal growth and moral or intellectual advancement rather than just winning.
Grammar color guide
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Adjective
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Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
