nik6溺
Jyutpingnik6
Yalenihk
Definition
To drown.
writtenhealthother
How it's used
溺 is primarily a literary or formal morpheme used in compound words rather than a standalone verb in daily speech. In everyday Cantonese, people almost exclusively use 浸親 or 浸死 to describe the act of drowning. You will mostly encounter this character in news reports or medical contexts regarding accidents.
Examples
He accidentally fell into the sea and nearly drowned.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 溺 as a standalone verb in casual conversation, as it sounds unnatural and overly formal. Stick to 浸親 for general usage.
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.
