慈悲
ci4 bei1
In Cantonese, mercy is translated as 慈悲 (ci4 bei1).
The term 慈悲 is most commonly used in religious or formal contexts, such as Buddhism, to describe divine compassion or mercy.
Meaning: forgiveness or compassion (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The first character 慈 (ci4) means compassion or love.
Which one should you use?
憐憫 represents mercy as an act of compassion towards others, and 饒恕 denotes mercy as an act of forgiveness or pardon.
Is it said differently in some regions?
仁慈 is frequently used in Macau to express mercy as an act of kindness and benevolence.
How do you pronounce it?
ci4 bei1
Did you know?
- While 慈悲 is a formal noun, if you want to ask someone to 'have mercy' on you in a desperate situation, you would likely use the phrase 放過我 (fong3 gwo3 ngo5), which literally means 'let me go'.
- The character 慈 in 慈悲 is the same character used to describe the love between a mother and her child. This roots the concept of mercy in a biological, familial bond of protection.
- While 慈悲 is the formal term, Cantonese speakers often use the word 心軟 meaning 'soft-hearted' to describe the actual feeling of being unable to be cruel to someone.
Examples in context
- 佢嘅心入面充滿咗慈悲。keoi5 ge3 sam1 jap6 cung1 mun5 zo2 ci4 bei1.His heart is full of mercy.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
