tit3 sek6 sam1 coeng4鐵石心腸铁石心肠

Jyutpingtit3 sek6 sam1 coeng4

Yaletit sehk sām chèuhng

形容詞

Definition

Hard-hearted, unfeeling, or having an iron will that makes one indifferent to emotion.

colloquialpeopledescriptions

How it's used

This idiom describes a person who remains unmoved by the suffering or emotional pleas of others. It implies a lack of empathy or a stubborn refusal to show mercy, often used to criticize someone for being overly rigid or cruel. While it can describe a firm resolve in some contexts, it is almost exclusively used in a negative sense to highlight a lack of human warmth.

Examples

keoi5佢deoi3對zyu6住gam3咁caam2慘ge3嘅zoi1災man4民dou1都tit3鐵sek6石sam1心coeng4腸，zan1真hai6係laang5冷hyut3血。

He is heartless even towards such miserable disaster victims, truly cold-blooded.

nei5你ji5以wai4為keoi5佢wui6會sam1心jyun5軟？keoi5佢tit3鐵sek6石sam1心coeng4腸㗎，gaa4唔m4好hou2旨zi2意ji3啦。

Do you think he will soften? He is hard-hearted, don't count on it.

Common phrases

tit3鐵sek6石sam1心coeng4腸ge3嘅jan4人

a heartless person

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with being simply determined or focused, as it specifically carries a connotation of being cold and unfeeling towards others' pain. It is not used to describe someone who is just strict about rules.