saam1 ciu4三朝
Jyutpingsaam1 ciu4
Yalesāam chìuh
Definition
Three dynasties
colloquialfamilyfestival
How it's used
Refers specifically to the three-day period following a wedding, which is a significant milestone in traditional Cantonese marriage customs. It is most commonly encountered in the phrase 三朝回門, describing the bride's first visit back to her parents' home after the wedding ceremony. Outside of this cultural context, the term is rarely used in daily speech to mean three dynasties.
Examples
They have been married for three days.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the historical term for three dynasties in Chinese history, as in modern Cantonese it almost exclusively relates to wedding traditions.
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.
