fo2 seoi2火水
Jyutpingfo2 seoi2
Yalefó séui
Definition
Kerosene; a petroleum distillate commonly used as a fuel or cleaning agent.
colloquialhomeother
How it's used
Refers specifically to kerosene, which was once a staple for cooking and lighting in older Hong Kong households. While modern urban homes rarely use it, the term remains well known among older generations and is sometimes used metaphorically to describe something that is highly flammable or volatile.
Measure word
zeon1樽jēunExamples
People used to really like cooking with kerosene stoves.
Do you still have any kerosene to buy at your place?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the English word fire water, which is a literal translation but carries a completely different meaning in English as a slang term for alcohol.
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.
