cai1萋

Jyutpingcai1

Yalechāi

Definition

Luxuriant or lush vegetation; also used to describe a crowded or mixed state.

literaryluxuriant; lush; growing in abundance
literarycrowded; mixed

writtennaturedescriptions

How it's used

This character is primarily used in literary contexts to describe lush or tangled vegetation. In modern spoken Cantonese, it is rarely used in its original botanical sense and is instead employed as a descriptive adjective for things that are overgrown, messy, or chaotic. It carries a slightly negative connotation when applied to appearances, suggesting a lack of grooming or order.

Examples

nei1呢dou6度di1啲cou2草saang1生dak1得hou2好cai1萋aa4呀。

The grass here is growing very densely.

keoi5佢go3個tau4頭lyun6亂dou3到hou2好ci5似cai1萋cou2草gam3咁。

Their hair is as messy as tangled weeds.

Common phrases

lush and dense

Common mistake

Learners often confuse this with 淒, which relates to cold or miserable feelings. Ensure you do not use it to describe emotional states, as it is strictly reserved for physical density or disarray.