maat3 san1抹身
Jyutpingmaat3 san1
Yalemaat sān
Definition
To wipe down or sponge bathe someone's body.
colloquialbodyhealth
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the act of cleaning someone's skin with a damp towel, often for hygiene or medical purposes. It is frequently used in caregiving contexts for the elderly, babies, or patients who cannot bathe themselves. Unlike washing or showering, it implies a more gentle, targeted cleaning process.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
to wipe the body with a hot towel
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 抹枱, which is for wiping tables. Using 抹身 on an object sounds bizarre and implies you are treating the object like a person.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
