sai1西
Jyutpingsai1
Yalesāi
Definition
West; the direction where the sun sets.
neutralplaces
How it's used
Directional terms like 西 are often paired with 邊 to form 西邊 when referring to a general area or side of a location. While it functions as a cardinal direction, it is frequently used in casual conversation to describe relative positioning rather than strict geographic coordinates.
Examples
We are going to eat at the restaurant on the west side tomorrow.
Related words
Common mistake
Be careful not to confuse 西 with the vulgar slang term that sounds identical, as the latter is a highly offensive profanity. Always ensure your context is clearly about direction or geography to avoid any misunderstanding.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
