saa1 tong4砂糖
Jyutpingsaa1 tong4
Yalesā tòhng
Definition
White granulated sugar, a highly refined sugar commonly used in cooking.
colloquialfood
How it's used
Refers specifically to refined white granulated sugar, which is the standard sweetener for everyday cooking and baking in Hong Kong households. Unlike brown sugar or rock sugar, it is prized for its neutral flavor and fine texture that dissolves easily in liquids. It is the default choice when a recipe simply calls for sugar.
Measure word
baau1包bāuExamples
It will taste better if you add a little white sugar.
Do you still have any white sugar at home?
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 糖, which is a general term for any kind of sweet food or candy. Using 砂糖 when you mean a generic sweet treat or dessert will sound unnatural.
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.



