sau2艘
Jyutpingsau2
Yalesáu
Definition
Classifier for ships and naval vessels.
neutraltransport
How it's used
This classifier is strictly reserved for large watercraft. It is not used for small boats or rafts, which typically take 隻. Using it for anything other than a substantial vessel sounds overly formal or even slightly comical.
Examples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 艘 for all types of boats. Remember that 隻 is the default, versatile classifier for almost all small to medium-sized watercraft in daily speech.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
