saam1芟
Jyutpingsaam1
Yalesāam
Definition
To cut down weeds, or to eliminate and weed out.
writtendaily actionsother
How it's used
Used primarily in formal or written contexts to describe the act of clearing away unwanted items or vegetation. In everyday spoken Cantonese, people almost always prefer using 剪走, 剷走, or 刪除 instead of this character. It carries a slightly literary or technical nuance that makes it sound out of place in casual conversation.
Examples
These weeds need to be cut down quickly.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a common verb, but it is rarely used in daily speech. Using it to describe cutting hair or trimming paper will sound very strange to native speakers.
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.
