耐心
noi6 sam1
The Cantonese word for patience is 耐心 (noi6 sam1).
耐心 refers to the quality of being patient. To describe someone who has patience, use the verb 有 (jau5) before the noun to form 有耐心. Conversely, to say someone has no patience, use the negative verb 冇 (mou5) before the noun to form 冇耐心.
Meaning: quality of being patient (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of 耐 (noi6), meaning to endure or withstand and 心 (sam1), meaning heart or mind.
How do you pronounce it?
noi6 sam1
Did you know?
- If you are losing your patience, you might say you are feeling 燥 (cou3), a word that describes both being impatient and feeling physically heat or dryness.
- While the word 耐心 translates to 'patience', the character 耐 (noi6) is also used to describe the durability of physical objects, such as a battery's ability to hold a charge.
- To describe someone who is 'impatient' in a more colloquial sense, Cantonese speakers often use 心急 (sam1 gap1), which literally translates to 'heart urgent'.
Examples in context
- 需要有耐性等待成功的時機。It is necessary to have patience and wait for the right time for success.
- 佢好有耐心。He/She is very patient.
- 佢做嘢好有耐心。keoi5 zou6 je5 hou2 jau5 noi6 sam1.He works with a lot of patience.
- 教小朋友需要好大耐心。gaau3 siu2 pang4 jau6 seoi1 jiu3 hou2 daai6 noi6 sam1.Teaching young children requires a lot of patience.
- 我真係冇晒耐心。ngo5 zan1 hai6 mou5 saai3 noi6 sam1.I have completely run out of patience.
Example conversation
Ka Ming is struggling to assemble a piece of furniture.
- 家明 Ka Ming呢件嘢太難整，我冇耐心喇！ni1 gin6 je5 taai3 naan4 zing2, ngo5 mou5 noi6 sam1 laa3!This thing is too hard to put together, I have no more patience!
- 美玲 Mei Ling家明，你要有耐心啲呀。ga1 ming4, nei5 jiu3 jau5 noi6 sam1 di1 aa3.Ka Ming, you need to be more patient.
- 家明 Ka Ming但我已經試咗好多次。daan6 ce1 ngo5 ji5 ging1 si3 zo2 hou2 do1 ci3.But I've already tried many times.
- 美玲 Mei Ling慢慢嚟，唔好咁心急。maan6 maan6 lei4, m4 hou2 gam3 sam1 gap1.Take it slow, don't be so impatient.
