zi6 lin4自憐自怜
Jyutpingzi6 lin4
Yalejih lìhn
Definition
To feel self-pity; to feel sorry for oneself.
neutralemotion
How it's used
Carries a negative connotation of being overly absorbed in one's own suffering. It is often used to criticize someone for being passive or dramatic about their problems rather than taking action. Unlike some emotional states, it implies a lack of resilience that others find draining.
Examples
Stop wallowing in self-pity all the time, pull yourself together.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with feeling sad or depressed, but it specifically describes a self-centered attitude. It is not a clinical term for sadness, but rather a behavioral observation used to describe someone who is complaining excessively.
Grammar color guide
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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.
