jin4 siu1燃燒燃烧
Jyutpingjin4 siu1
Yaleyìhn sīu
Definition
To burn or undergo combustion.
neutralotherdaily actions
How it's used
燃燒 is a formal term primarily used in scientific, technical, or literary contexts. In everyday spoken Cantonese, people almost exclusively use the simpler verb 燒 to describe the act of burning something. Using 燃燒 in casual conversation can sound overly academic or like you are reading from a textbook.
Examples
The wood is burning, it's a huge fire.
What gases are produced after this fuel burns?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use 燃燒 to describe cooking, such as grilling meat or boiling water, as 燒 is the correct verb for those actions. Learners often mistakenly use 燃燒 when they simply mean to light a cigarette or start a fire, where 點火 or 燒 is more natural.
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.
