saan1 baan2舢舨
Jyutpingsaan1 baan2
Yalesāan báan
Definition
Sampan; a small flat-bottomed boat used in coastal and river waters for transport or fishing.
colloquialtransportplaces
How it's used
Refers specifically to small, flat-bottomed wooden or fiberglass boats that are iconic to Hong Kong's maritime history. While once a common mode of transport for water-dwelling families, they are now mostly seen as tourist attractions or used by small-scale fishermen in sheltered waters. The term carries a strong nostalgic connotation of the old harbor life.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
Fishermen used to live on their sampans all the time.
Related words
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.
