tung4 cing4 sam1同情心
Jyutpingtung4 cing4 sam1
Yaletùhng chìhng sām
Definition
Sympathy; compassion, especially feeling pity for someone in a worse situation than oneself.
neutralemotionpeople
How it's used
Possessing this quality is often framed as a moral baseline in social interactions. It frequently appears in negative constructions to criticize someone's cold or indifferent behavior toward the suffering of others. Unlike more formal terms for empathy, this word focuses specifically on the feeling of pity for those in a worse position.
Measure word
fan2份fánExamples
He really has absolutely no sympathy at all.
Seeing him in such a miserable state, do you have any sympathy?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 憐憫, which is a much more formal or literary term. Using 憐憫 in casual conversation can sound overly dramatic or like you are reading from a book.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- 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.
