sam4涔
Jyutpingsam4
Yalesàhm
Definition
To overflow, weep, or rain; or to be swollen.
- to overflow
- literarytearful or raining
- swollen
colloquialnaturedescriptions
How it's used
Refers specifically to the state of being saturated or overflowing with liquid, often used to describe eyes welling up or surfaces covered in water. It carries a more descriptive, sensory feel than simply saying wet. You will most often hear it used in the reduplicated form to emphasize the continuous flow or the extent of the saturation.
Examples
Her eyes are wet, and tears are streaming down.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 浸, which implies being submerged or flooded. 涔 focuses on the overflow or the act of liquid seeping out, rather than the state of being underwater.
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.
