saai1嘥
Jyutpingsaai1
Yalesāai
Definition
To waste, squander, or spend time, money, or resources carelessly.
colloquialdaily actionsother
How it's used
This verb is the go to term for expressing that something has been squandered or thrown away without purpose. It carries a stronger sense of regret or frustration than the more formal 浪費. It is extremely versatile and can be applied to abstract concepts like time or effort as well as physical objects.
Examples
It is such a waste that you bought so many clothes and don't wear them.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 曬, which sounds identical but means to sunbathe or to dry something in the sun. Ensure you use the mouth radical 嘥 when writing about wasting resources.
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.
