bing1 syut3冰雪
Jyutpingbing1 syut3
Yalebīng syut
Definition
Ice and snow, often used metaphorically to describe crystal-clear purity.
- ice and snow
- figurativecrystal-clear; pure
neutralnaturedescriptions
How it's used
Refers primarily to the physical state of frozen water in cold environments, but it also carries a poetic connotation of purity or clarity. While it functions as a noun, it is frequently used in descriptive phrases to emphasize a cold, stark, or pristine landscape. It is less common in casual daily conversation than simply using 雪 to describe weather conditions.
Examples
It is snowing heavily outside, the whole mountain is covered in ice and snow.
Have you ever seen that kind of scenery covered in ice and snow?
Related words
Common phrases
a world of ice and snow
covered in ice and snow
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 冰塊, which specifically refers to ice cubes used in drinks. Using 冰雪 to describe a cold beverage would sound overly dramatic or literary.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
