sai3世

Jyutpingsai3

Yalesai

語素Common

Definition

An era, age, or historical epoch.

neutraltimepeople

How it's used

Functions primarily as a morpheme in compounds rather than as a standalone noun in modern spoken Cantonese. It often carries a sense of the world or the state of society, appearing in set phrases that describe historical periods or social conditions. When referring to a specific generation or lifetime, speakers typically prefer using 輩 or 代 instead.

Examples

ni1呢go3個sai3世dou6道zan1真hai6係hou2好naan4難lou1撈aa3呀。

It is really hard to make a living in this era.

keoi5佢ging1經lik6歷gwo3過hou2好do1多m4唔tung4同ge3嘅sai3世min6面。

He has experienced many different aspects of the world.

Common phrases

sai3世min6面

the world (in terms of experience)

sai3世dou6道

the state of the world

Common mistake

Learners often confuse this with the Mandarin usage where it can stand alone more freely. In Cantonese, using it by itself to mean world or life sounds unnatural, as it almost always requires a suffix or prefix to form a complete concept.