giu1 seoi2澆水浇水
Jyutpinggiu1 seoi2
Yalegīu séui
Definition
To pour water on something, such as to water plants.
colloquialdaily actionsnature
How it's used
While 澆水 is understood in Cantonese, it is considered a formal or written term. In everyday spoken Cantonese, the verb 淋 is used almost exclusively for watering plants or pouring liquid over something.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 澆水 because they see it in textbooks, but using it in casual conversation sounds stiff or like a direct translation from Mandarin. Stick to 淋水 to sound natural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
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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.
