cing4 sai3情勢情势
Jyutpingcing4 sai3
Yalechìhng sai
Definition
The situation or condition of a certain period or place in terms of politics, economy, society, etc.
neutralother
How it's used
Refers specifically to the broader, often macro-level conditions of a society or geopolitical landscape. It carries a more formal or analytical weight than general words for situation like 情況 or 局面. You will mostly hear it in news reports, political discussions, or when analyzing long-term trends.
Examples
The economic situation is so bad right now, everyone is very worried.
What do you think about the current international situation?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using it for personal circumstances or minor events, where 情況 is much more natural. Using 情勢 to describe your personal day or a small problem sounds overly dramatic or stiff.
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.
