wai4 sam1唯心
Jyutpingwai4 sam1
Yalewàih sām
Definition
Idealistic; idealism, the philosophical theory that reality is mentally constructed.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Describes a perspective that prioritizes personal thoughts or subjective feelings over objective facts. While it shares roots with philosophical idealism, in daily conversation it often carries a slightly critical tone, implying that someone is being impractical or detached from reality.
Examples
Your way of thinking is a bit too idealistic.
He acts very idealistically and ignores the reality of the situation.
Related words
Common phrases
idealism
idealistic theory
Common mistake
Avoid using this to mean "mindful" or "attentive," as learners sometimes confuse it with the concept of being mentally focused.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
