jyun4 sai1芫茜
Jyutpingjyun4 sai1
Yaleyùhn sāi
Definition
Coriander or cilantro; an aromatic herb with fine leaves used for seasoning.
colloquialfood
How it's used
Coriander is a highly polarizing ingredient in Hong Kong, often sparking strong opinions among diners. It is frequently used as a garnish for soups, congee, and noodle dishes to add a fresh, aromatic lift. When ordering food, it is very common for people to explicitly ask to omit it by saying 走芫茜.
Measure word
fo2棵fóExamples
Do you want to add coriander to this bowl of fish ball noodles?
I really like eating coriander, it smells great.
Related words
Common phrases
no coriander
coriander, century egg, and sliced fish soup
Common mistake
Do not confuse the pronunciation with the Mandarin term, as the Cantonese pronunciation is distinct and often sounds closer to 'yuen sai'.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
