zi6 wai3自慰

Jyutpingzi6 wai3

Yalejih wai

動詞Common

Definition

To console oneself, or to masturbate.

to console oneself; to take pride in oneself or one's achievements
to masturbate

neutralemotionbody

How it's used

Literary contexts often use this term to mean finding comfort or pride in one's own accomplishments. However, in modern colloquial Cantonese, the term is almost exclusively understood as the clinical or vulgar term for masturbation. Using it to mean self-consolation in casual conversation will likely cause confusion or unintended laughter.

Examples

keoi5佢seng4成jat6日lo2攞zi6自gei2己ge3嘅sing4成zau6就lai4嚟zi6自wai3慰，gok3覺dak1得hou2好mun5滿zuk1足。

He often consoles himself with his own achievements and feels very satisfied.

le1呢zung3種zou6做faat3法zi2只hai6係zi6自wai3慰，gan1根bun2本gaai2解kyut3決m4唔dou3到man6問tai4題。

This approach is just self-consolation and cannot solve the problem at all.

Common phrases

zuk1足ji5以zi6自wai3慰

sufficient to console oneself

Common mistake

Avoid using this term to mean self-comfort in casual speech, as listeners will almost certainly interpret it as the sexual act. Use 安慰自己 instead to express finding comfort or pride in oneself.