fan1 bei3分泌
Jyutpingfan1 bei3
Yalefān bei
Definition
To secrete; the process of biological tissues releasing substances.
neutralbodyhealth
How it's used
Used primarily in biological or medical contexts to describe the process of organs or glands releasing substances like hormones, sweat, or oil. While it is a standard term, it sounds quite formal or scientific in daily speech. Most people would prefer to use more specific verbs like 出汗 for sweating or 出油 for oily skin unless they are discussing the physiological mechanism.
Examples
Your body has secreted a lot of sweat.
Why does your skin secrete so much oil?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this word to describe the general act of leaking or dripping, as it specifically implies a biological function. Using it for non-biological substances like water leaking from a pipe sounds unnatural and confusing.
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.
