faat3 seoi2發水发水
Jyutpingfaat3 seoi2
Yalefaat séui
Definition
To soak something in water to expand it, or to swell and increase in volume after absorbing water.
colloquialfooddaily actions
How it's used
Primarily used for dried food items like mushrooms, noodles, or seaweed that expand significantly when rehydrated. It carries a sense of the object undergoing a physical transformation to reach its usable state. In some contexts, it can also metaphorically describe something that has been artificially inflated, such as a budget or a report that has been padded with unnecessary details.
Examples
The wood ear mushrooms need to be soaked in water before you can cook them.
How long have you been soaking it? Have the glass noodles swollen up yet?
Related words
Common phrases
soaked wood ear mushrooms
soaked glass noodles
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simple washing or rinsing. It specifically implies the process of absorption where the item increases in volume or softens significantly over time.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
