sai3 jyun5細軟细软
Jyutpingsai3 jyun5
Yalesai yúhn
Definition
Small, easily portable valuables such as jewellery and expensive clothing.
colloquialmoney
How it's used
Refers specifically to portable items of value that one would carry when fleeing or moving in a hurry. It carries a slightly dramatic or literary undertone, often associated with escaping a situation or packing for a long journey. You will rarely hear it used to describe general wealth or bank savings.
Examples
He has packed up all his valuables and is ready to leave.
Remember to take your valuables with you when you move house.
Related words
Common phrases
to pack up one's valuables
to carry valuables
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin term 細軟 which can sometimes refer to soft, fine objects. In Cantonese, it is strictly limited to portable valuables.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
