hek3 seoi2吃水
Jyutpinghek3 seoi2
Yalehek séui
Definition
The draft of a ship; the depth of water a ship draws, figuratively referring to its carrying capacity.
colloquialtransport
How it's used
Primarily used in maritime contexts to describe the vertical distance between the waterline and the bottom of the hull. In colloquial Cantonese, it is frequently used metaphorically to refer to the capacity of a vessel or, by extension, the financial potential or 'depth' of a project or person's ability to absorb resources.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin usage where it can sometimes imply 'to draw water' or 'to be corrupt/siphon money'. In Hong Kong Cantonese, the literal maritime meaning remains the most common and standard interpretation.
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.
