cim3塹堑
Jyutpingcim3
Yalechim
Definition
A trench, ditch, or moat that acts as an obstacle.
writtenplacesother
How it's used
Primarily encountered in formal or literary contexts, this term is rarely used in everyday speech to describe a simple hole in the ground. It carries a sense of a defensive or strategic barrier, such as a moat around a castle or a trench in military history. When referring to a common hole or pit, locals prefer using 窿 or 坑.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
This ditch is very deep, everyone walk carefully.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this word to describe a small hole or a pothole on the street, as it sounds overly dramatic or archaic. Use 窿 instead for general holes.
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.
