sai1 haa6西夏
Jyutpingsai1 haa6
Yalesāi hah
Definition
Western Xia, a Tangut-led empire in northwestern China that existed from 1038 to 1227.
neutralother
How it's used
Historical terms like this are treated as proper nouns in daily speech, usually appearing in contexts related to history lessons or documentaries. Unlike common nouns, it does not take a measure word when referring to the state itself. It is important to note that the Tangut people are referred to as 党項, where the first character is written without the radical for speech.
Examples
Do you know which dynasty established the Western Xia?
The history and culture of the Western Xia are actually worth studying.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse the character 党 with 黨, but when referring to the historical Tangut people, the correct form is 党項. Using the wrong character is a common error in written assignments.
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.
