san1 saang1 si6 mat6新生事物
Jyutpingsan1 saang1 si6 mat6
Yalesān sāang sih maht
Definition
New things or novelties that have recently emerged.
writtenotherdescriptions
How it's used
Carries a formal or journalistic tone, often appearing in news reports or academic discussions regarding social change. It is rarely used in casual, everyday conversation between friends, where people would simply say 新嘢 instead. The term implies a sense of historical or societal progression rather than just a new consumer product.
Examples
This is a new development in society.
What do you think about these new things?
Related words
Common phrases
to accept new things
to face new things
Common mistake
Learners often use this in casual settings where it sounds overly stiff or academic. Avoid using it to describe simple objects like a new phone or a new shirt, as it is reserved for abstract concepts, trends, or institutional changes.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
