sau3 sik6鏽蝕锈蚀
Jyutpingsau3 sik6
Yalesau sihk
Definition
To corrode or rust, especially referring to the oxidation of metals that causes them to wear away.
neutralother
How it's used
Focuses specifically on the chemical degradation of metal surfaces due to environmental exposure. While it describes the physical process of oxidation, it is often used in technical or maintenance contexts rather than casual conversation. You will frequently see it in reports about building safety or industrial equipment.
Examples
This iron railing has corroded very badly.
If you ignore them for a long time, the parts will corrode quickly.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this for general decay or rotting of organic materials like wood or food, which would require different verbs such as 腐爛.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).



