koeng5 seoi2鏹水镪水
Jyutpingkoeng5 seoi2
Yalekéuhng séui
Definition
A common term for a strong acid, such as sulfuric, hydrochloric, or nitric acid.
colloquialother
How it's used
Refers specifically to corrosive mineral acids used in industrial or criminal contexts, rather than mild acids found in food or household cleaners. It is almost exclusively used in news reports or dramatic accounts of criminal attacks involving chemical burns. You will rarely hear this word in a casual, non-violent context.
Measure word
zeon1樽jēunExamples
What is he trying to do holding that bottle of acid?
The news said someone poured acid down from the footbridge.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with general household cleaning agents, which are usually referred to as 漂白水 or 通渠水. Using this word to describe vinegar or lemon juice would be confusing and sound alarmist.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
