tung3 ding6 si1 tung3痛定思痛
Jyutpingtung3 ding6 si1 tung3
Yaletung dihng sī tung
Definition
To reflect on a painful experience and learn from it after the pain has passed.
neutralemotiondaily actions
How it's used
Reflects a serious, introspective tone often used in formal or literary contexts to describe deep personal growth after a setback. While it is a four character idiom, it is frequently integrated into spoken Cantonese sentences by adding particles like 喇 or 㗎 to soften the delivery. It implies that the pain was significant enough to force a change in behavior or mindset.
Examples
He reflected on his painful past and decided to stop gambling.
After reflecting on your painful experience, have you thought of how to improve?
Related words
Common phrases
after reflecting on the painful experience
Common mistake
Avoid using this for minor inconveniences or small mistakes, as it specifically refers to learning from a deep, painful, or traumatic experience. Using it for something trivial like dropping a cup sounds overly dramatic and unnatural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
