paai4 seoi2排水
Jyutpingpaai4 seoi2
Yalepàaih séui
Definition
To drain; to discharge or remove water or liquid from a place.
neutraldaily actionsother
How it's used
Primarily used in technical, industrial, or formal contexts regarding infrastructure like pipes or flood control. In casual daily life, people often prefer more descriptive phrases like 倒水 or 抽水 depending on whether they are pouring it out or pumping it out.
Examples
The flooding here is severe, we need to drain the water quickly.
Do you know where we can drain the water?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this for emptying a small container like a cup or a sink, as it sounds overly mechanical or large-scale. Use 倒水 instead for everyday tasks.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
