san1 sau2身手
Jyutpingsan1 sau2
Yalesān sáu
Definition
Physical skill, agility, or movement ability, such as prowess in martial arts or sports.
colloquialbodysports
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the physical coordination and agility required for athletic or combative tasks rather than general physical fitness. It is frequently used in contexts involving martial arts, acrobatics, or high intensity sports where quick reflexes are essential. Describing someone as having a good身手 implies they possess a natural or well trained grace in their physical actions.
Examples
He learned kung fu when he was young, so his movements are very agile.
Related words
Common phrases
agile and quick movements
extraordinary physical skills
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 身體 which refers to the body as a whole. While 身體 is about your physical health or constitution, 身手 is strictly about how you move and perform physical tasks.
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.
