dung1 sai1東西东西
Jyutpingdung1 sai1
Yaledūng sāi
Definition
Thing; stuff.
colloquialdaily actionsdescriptions
How it's used
Cantonese speakers almost exclusively use 嘢 instead of the Mandarin term 東西 to refer to objects or things. Using 東西 in a casual conversation will sound unnatural and immediately mark you as a non native speaker. 嘢 is incredibly versatile and can be combined with various modifiers to describe specific items or abstract concepts.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 東西 because they encounter it in Mandarin textbooks or media. In Cantonese, 東西 literally translates to east and west, so using it to mean stuff will cause confusion or sound like a direct translation error.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
