sau3獸兽
Jyutpingsau3
Yalesau
Definition
Beast; animal, especially non-human animals.
neutralanimals
How it's used
Used primarily as a bound morpheme in compound words rather than as a standalone noun in daily speech. When referring to animals in a general sense, speakers almost exclusively use 動物 instead. The character appears most frequently in contexts involving wild, untamed, or dangerous creatures, or in metaphorical descriptions of people behaving aggressively.
Examples
There are many wild beasts appearing here, be careful.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to refer to pets or common animals, as it carries a strong connotation of being wild, savage, or subhuman. Using it to describe a normal animal will sound unnatural or overly dramatic.
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.
