saan1 sai1山西
Jyutpingsaan1 sai1
Yalesāan sāi
Definition
Shanxi, a province in northern China with its capital at Taiyuan.
neutralplacestravel
How it's used
Pronunciation is the primary hurdle for learners, as the first character is often confused with the word for mountain. In Cantonese, the province is pronounced with a high-level tone for the first character, distinct from the low-rising tone used for the noun mountain. It is strictly a proper noun and does not carry the literal meaning of mountain west in modern conversation.
Examples
Shanxi's noodle dishes are very famous.
Will you go to Shanxi for a trip this year?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid confusing the pronunciation with the word for mountain, as the tone difference is significant for native speakers. Additionally, do not mistake it for Shaanxi, which is a different province with a different tone and character.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
