ceot1 sai3出世
Jyutpingceot1 sai3
Yalechēut sai
Definition
To be born; to come into existence.
colloquialpeopledaily actions
How it's used
Refers specifically to the moment of birth for living beings. It is the standard, neutral term used in daily conversation, unlike the more formal 生 or 誕生 which are often reserved for written contexts or specific literary expressions. When talking about the birth of a baby, it is common to use this verb to describe the event itself rather than focusing on the act of giving birth.
Examples
I was born in this hospital when I was a baby.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 出生, which is a more formal term often found in official documents or written Chinese. While they share the same meaning, 出世 is the natural choice for spoken Cantonese.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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).
