san1 tai2身體身体
Jyutpingsan1 tai2
Yalesān tái
Definition
The body of a human or animal.
neutralbodyhealth
How it's used
While 身體 refers to the physical body, it is frequently used to discuss general health or physical condition. When asking about someone's well-being, it is more natural to use 身體 than to refer to specific body parts. It is also common to use the classifier 個 when quantifying the body as a whole unit.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
How has your health been lately?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse 身體 with 身子, which is a more literary or old-fashioned term often used to describe someone's constitution or physical state in a more delicate or formal context.
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.
