bai3蔽
Jyutpingbai3
Yalebai
Definition
To cover, block, or shield from view.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
While 蔽 appears in formal idioms like 衣不蔽體, it is also used in everyday speech to describe physically blocking or shielding something. It often implies that the object being covered is hidden from view or protected from exposure. It is more specific than 遮, which is the most common word for covering or shading.
Examples
The cloth covers the hole, blocking it completely.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 蔽 with 閉, which means to close or shut. While they share similar sounds in some contexts, 蔽 specifically relates to covering or obstructing, whereas 閉 relates to the act of closing something like a door or eyes.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
