自私
zi6 si1
The English word 'selfish' is expressed in Cantonese as 自私 (zi6 si1).
自私 is an adjective used to describe someone who has regard for their own well-being above that of others. In natural conversation, the adjective is often preceded by 好 (hou2) to mean 'very' or 'really' selfish (e.g., 好自私). If you want to describe someone as being excessively selfish, you can use the phrase 过分自私 (gwo3 fan1 zi6 si1). Another way to convey being excessively self-centered is the phrase 只顾自己 (zi2 gu3 zi6 gei2), which literally means 'only thinking of oneself'.
Meaning: having regard for one's own well-being above that of others (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 自私 is composed of two parts: 自 (zi6), meaning 'self' and 私 (si1), meaning 'private' or 'selfish'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use 自私 as an adjective to modify a noun, you must add the possessive particle 嘅 (ge3) after it.
How do you pronounce it?
zi6 si1
Did you know?
- In some contexts, describing a behavior as 自私 might be seen as a very strong social critique, as Cantonese culture often values the collective 'we' over the individual 'I'.
- The particle 嘅 used after 自私 to modify a noun is a hallmark of Cantonese that does not exist in Standard Mandarin, which uses 的 instead.
- The concept of 私 is contrasted with 公, meaning 'public'. In Cantonese, being 'public-spirited' is the direct moral opposite of being 自私.
Examples in context
- 佢呢個人真係好自私。keoi5 nei1 go3 jan4 zan1 hai6 hou2 zi6 si1.That person is really selfish.
- 你唔好咁自私，要諗下人哋。nei5 m4 hou2 gam2 zi6 si1, jiu3 nam2 haa5 jan4 dei6.Don't be so selfish, you should think about others.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
