wai4 ham6遺憾遗憾
Jyutpingwai4 ham6
Yalewàih hahm
Definition
Regretful, remorseful, or deeply sorry for an error, missed opportunity, or misfortune.
neutralemotiondescriptions
How it's used
Expresses a sense of sorrow or disappointment over an unfulfilled wish or a missed opportunity rather than just personal guilt. It carries a formal or literary weight, so it is often used in writing or serious conversation to describe a situation that is unfortunate. In casual daily speech, people are more likely to use 覺得好可惜 or 覺得好唔抵.
Examples
It is such a pity that I did not go to that concert.
Do you feel regretful for having missed the opportunity?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using it to describe small, trivial mistakes like dropping a spoon, as it is reserved for more significant life events or missed chances. Using it for minor inconveniences sounds overly dramatic or unnatural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
