tung3 bat1 juk6 sang1痛不欲生
Jyutpingtung3 bat1 juk6 sang1
Yaletung bāt yuhk sāng
Definition
To be in so much pain or suffering that one no longer wishes to live.
writtenemotionhealth
How it's used
This idiom carries a heavy, dramatic weight and is reserved for situations of extreme emotional or physical suffering. Unlike everyday words for pain like 痛, this expression implies a level of despair where life itself feels unbearable. It is frequently used in literary contexts or when describing someone going through a profound personal tragedy.
Examples
After the breakup, he was in such agony that he wanted to die, hiding in his room crying all day.
Seeing my family member in such excruciating pain that they wish for death, it really breaks my heart.
Related words
Common phrases
heartbroken to the point of wishing for death
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe minor physical discomforts like a headache or a stomach ache, as it will sound overly melodramatic and unnatural to native speakers.
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.
