sau3秀
Jyutpingsau3
Yalesau
Definition
Elegant, beautiful, or refined.
writtendescriptions
How it's used
秀 is rarely used as a standalone adjective in spoken Cantonese, appearing almost exclusively as a bound morpheme in compound words. It carries a classical, literary nuance that suggests a refined or delicate kind of beauty. You will most frequently encounter it in descriptions of calligraphy, scenery, or a person's gentle features.
Examples
This girl has a very elegant and delicate appearance.
Her handwriting is very elegant and beautiful, it really looks good.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 秀 to describe general attractiveness or physical beauty in a casual sense, as it sounds overly poetic or formal. For everyday descriptions of people being good-looking, use 靚 or 標緻 instead.
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.
