sai1 fong1西方
Jyutpingsai1 fong1
Yalesāi fōng
Definition
The west, or the Western world.
- the west; western direction
- the West; Western countries, especially Europe and North America
neutralplaces
How it's used
Refers specifically to the cultural and political sphere of Europe and North America rather than just the cardinal direction. When describing the direction, locals prefer using 西邊 or 西面 instead of this term to avoid ambiguity. It carries a sense of modernity or foreign influence when used in social or academic contexts.
Examples
He really likes Western culture.
Are you thinking of going to Western countries to study?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a location on a map or a street direction, as it sounds overly formal or abstract. Use 西邊 for physical locations instead.
Grammar color guide
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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).
