jau4 wing6游泳
Jyutpingjau4 wing6
Yaleyàuh wihng
Definition
To swim; the sport or skill of moving through water.
neutralsportsdaily actions
How it's used
While 游泳 is the standard term for swimming, locals often use the more casual verb 游水 in everyday conversation. Using 游泳 sounds slightly more formal or academic, similar to how one might refer to a specific sport or a school subject. If you are talking about going to the pool with friends, 游水 is almost always the preferred choice.
Examples
I really like going to the beach to swim in the summer.
Do you know how to swim?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse the verb 游泳 with the noun for a swimmer, 泳手. Also, remember that 游水 is the natural way to say go swimming, whereas 游泳 is often reserved for the activity itself or formal contexts.
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.
