垂頭喪氣

Chinese

	to hang or bow one's head	to feel disheartened; to lose heart; to become crestfallen
trad. (垂頭喪氣)	垂頭	喪氣
simp. (垂头丧气)	垂头	丧气
Literally: “to bow one's head and lose heart”.

Etymology

From “Goodbye to Penury” (《送窮文》) by Han Yu (韓愈):

主人於是垂頭喪氣，上手稱謝，燒車與船，延之上座。 [Classical Chinese, trad.][▼ expand/hide]
主人于是垂头丧气，上手称谢，烧车与船，延之上座。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

Zhǔrén yúshì chuítóusàngqì, shàngshǒu chēngxiè, shāo chē yǔ chuán, yán zhī shàngzuò. [Pinyin]

The master then bowed his head and felt disheartened, raised his hand to thank them [the ghosts of poverty], burned the cart and boat, and invited them to the seat of honour.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): chuítóusàngqì

(Zhuyin): ㄔㄨㄟˊ ㄊㄡˊ ㄙㄤˋ ㄑㄧˋ
Cantonese (Jyutping): seoi⁴ tau⁴ song³ hei³

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Pinyin: chuítóusàngqì
  - Zhuyin: ㄔㄨㄟˊ ㄊㄡˊ ㄙㄤˋ ㄑㄧˋ
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chweitoursanqchih
  - IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʰu̯eɪ̯³⁵ tʰoʊ̯³⁵ sɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ t͡ɕʰi⁵¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: seoi⁴ tau⁴ song³ hei³
  - Yale: sèuih tàuh song hei
  - Cantonese Pinyin: soey⁴ tau⁴ song³ hei³
  - Guangdong Romanization: sêu⁴ teo⁴ song³ héi³
  - IPA ^(key): /sɵy̯²¹ tʰɐu̯²¹ sɔːŋ³³ hei̯³³/

Idiom

垂頭喪氣

dispirited; dejected

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