caai4柴
Jyutpingcaai4
Yalechàaih
Definition
Firewood; wood used for fuel.
colloquialhomedaily actions
How it's used
Beyond its literal meaning, this word appears frequently in the slang term 拆柴, which refers to sabotaging someone or undermining their efforts. It carries a rustic connotation because firewood is rarely used for cooking in modern urban Hong Kong homes. When used metaphorically, it often implies a lack of substance or a dry, brittle quality.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
We have run out of firewood at home, go buy some back.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the slang 柴, which can sometimes refer to a low-ranking police officer or a person of little importance, depending on the context.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
