saam1衫
Jyutpingsaam1
Yalesāam
Definition
Clothes, clothing, or any garment worn on the upper body.
colloquialclothing
How it's used
Refers specifically to upper body garments, though it is often used as a generic term for all clothing in casual speech. When talking about trousers or skirts, people usually specify 褲 or 裙 instead. It is common to use the verb 著 to describe putting on or wearing these items.
Measure word
gin2件gínExamples
The weather is cool today, remember to wear an extra layer.
Related words
Common phrases
to do the laundry
Common mistake
Do not use it to refer to footwear or accessories, as those require different specific terms. Beginners sometimes mistakenly use it for all types of clothing, but it is most naturally applied to shirts, sweaters, and jackets.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
