fai3 seoi2沸水
Jyutpingfai3 seoi2
Yalefai séui
Definition
Boiling water.
colloquialfooddaily actions
How it's used
Native speakers almost exclusively use 滾水 instead of 沸水 in daily life. 沸水 sounds like a scientific term or a formal label on a product, whereas 滾水 is the natural word for water that has reached its boiling point. Using 沸水 in casual conversation can sound overly formal or even slightly robotic.
Measure word
bui1杯būiRelated words
Common mistake
Learners often use 沸水 because it is the direct translation of boiling water, but it sounds unnatural in a home setting. Always prefer 滾水 when talking about cooking, tea, or safety warnings.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
