saa1 din1沙甸
Jyutpingsaa1 din1
Yalesā dīn
Definition
Sardine; sardines.
colloquialfood
How it's used
Sardines are almost exclusively referred to as 沙甸魚 in daily life, even though the headword 沙甸 technically refers to the fish itself. It is common to see them sold in flat, rectangular tins, which makes them a staple pantry item for quick meals. The term is borrowed directly from English, reflecting the colonial influence on local food terminology.
Measure word
gun3罐gunExamples
I really like eating sardines in tomato sauce.
Related words
Common phrases
sardines in tomato sauce
Common mistake
Do not use just 沙甸 when referring to the fish or the food item, as it sounds incomplete to native speakers. Always add 魚 to complete the noun phrase.
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.
