昏迷
The English word unconscious is translated into Cantonese as 昏迷.
The term is used to describe someone who is not awake.
Meaning: not awake (adj)
What does it mean word for word?
The term 昏迷 is composed of 昏 (dim/dark) and 迷 (lost/confused/dazed).
Did you know?
- In a medical emergency in Hong Kong, a bystander is more likely to shout 佢暈咗! (He/she fainted!) than to use the formal 佢處於昏迷狀態 (He/she is in an unconscious state).
- The character 迷 is also used to describe a 'fan' or 'obsessive' of something, such as a 'movie fan' 電影迷. This stems from the idea of being 'lost' or 'bewitched' by an interest.
- If someone is 'unconscious' due to sleeping very deeply, a Cantonese speaker would never use 昏迷, but would instead say they are 'sleeping heavily' using 瞓得好死.
Examples in context
- 呢個藥會令你失去意識。This medication may cause you to lose consciousness.
- 佢飲咗好多酒之後，完全冇知覺。After drinking a lot of alcohol, he was completely unconscious.
- 佢而家仲係昏迷狀態。keoi5 ji4 gaai1 zung6 hai6 fan1 mei6 seoi6 taai3.He is still in an unconscious state now.
- 傷者一直處於昏迷中。soeng1 ze2 jat1 zik6 cyu2 jyu1 fan1 mei6 zung1.The injured person has been unconscious.
Example conversation
Two people are discussing a patient in the hospital.
- 家明 Ka Ming嘉欣，個病人醒咗未？ga1 han1, go3 bing6 jan4 sing2 zo2 mei6?Ka Hin, has the patient woken up yet?
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan佢仲係昏迷，未醒。keoi5 zung6 hai6 hun1 mei4, mei6 sing2.He is still unconscious, not awake.
- 家明 Ka Ming醫生有冇話幾時會醒？ji1 sang1 jau5 mou5 waa4 gei2 si4 wui5 sing2?Did the doctor say when he will wake up?
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan醫生話要繼續觀察。ji1 sang1 waa4 jiu3 gai3 zuk6 gwan1 caat3.The doctor said we need to keep observing him.
