zan1 jin4真言
Jyutpingzan1 jin4
Yalejān yìhn
Definition
One's true feelings, hidden thoughts, or sincere words; or a sacred mantra.
- one's true feelings, hidden thoughts, or sincere words
- technicalmantra; a sacred utterance in Buddhism or Hinduism
colloquialemotionpeople
How it's used
While the term can refer to religious mantras in formal or Buddhist contexts, it is frequently used in daily life to describe someone finally revealing their honest, unfiltered thoughts. It often implies that these feelings were previously suppressed or hidden from others. Using it suggests a moment of vulnerability or a breakthrough in communication.
Examples
After he gets drunk, he always speaks his true feelings.
You hide so much usually, when will you finally speak your true mind?
Related words
Common phrases
to speak one's true thoughts after drinking
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 真話, which simply means a truthful statement or fact. 真言 carries a deeper, more emotional weight, implying that the speaker is revealing their inner heart or hidden desires rather than just stating a simple truth.
Grammar color guide
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Adverb
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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.
