haang4 seoi2行水
Jyutpinghaang4 seoi2
Yalehàahng séui
Definition
Toll money demanded by bandits, or a medical treatment involving drinking fluids.
- toll money demanded by bandits or highwaymen for safe passage
- technicala type of medication or treatment method
colloquialotherhealth
How it's used
Primarily associated with historical or cinematic depictions of bandits extorting travelers for safe passage. In a completely different context, it refers to a specific traditional medicinal practice involving washing or soaking the body with herbal decoctions. The two meanings are distinct and context usually makes the intent clear.
Examples
Bandits used to always demand toll money from people.
Do you know where one can buy this type of medicinal wash?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the common verb 行水 meaning to walk in water or to leak, as the context for those is entirely different and usually involves physical movement or plumbing.
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.
