bui3 sam1背心
Jyutpingbui3 sam1
Yalebui sām
Definition
A sleeveless garment worn on the upper body, such as a vest, waistcoat, or tank top.
colloquialclothing
How it's used
Refers to any sleeveless upper garment, ranging from casual cotton tank tops worn at home to formal waistcoats worn over a dress shirt. Unlike English where vest and tank top are distinct, Cantonese uses this single term for both styles. It is common to specify the material or context if you need to distinguish between a casual undershirt and a formal piece.
Measure word
gin2件gínExamples
It is so hot, wearing a tank top is enough.
Where did you buy your vest? It looks good.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the verb 背心, which can sometimes appear in older literary texts meaning to be mindful or to take to heart; in modern daily speech, it is strictly a noun for the garment.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
