faa1 wai2花卉
Jyutpingfaa1 wai2
Yalefā wái
Definition
Flowers and plants in general.
neutralnature
How it's used
Refers to flowers in a more formal, collective, or botanical sense compared to the everyday word 花. It is frequently encountered in official contexts, such as horticultural events, park signage, or academic discussions about plants. Using it in casual conversation about a single flower in a vase would sound overly stiff or academic.
Examples
Many different types of flowers are planted here.
Do you like going to see the flower show?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using it as a direct substitute for 花 when talking about a simple bouquet or a single flower. It is a collective noun for the category rather than a term for individual blossoms.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
