sei2 seoi2死水
Jyutpingsei2 seoi2
Yaleséi séui
Definition
Stagnant or standing water, or a situation that has made no progress for a long time.
- stagnant water; standing water
- figurativea stagnant situation showing no progress or development
colloquialnaturedescriptions
How it's used
Beyond describing physical water, this term is frequently used metaphorically to describe a situation or organization that lacks vitality, innovation, or progress. It carries a strong negative connotation of decay or hopelessness. When used in this figurative sense, it is often paired with 一潭 to emphasize the depth and stillness of the stagnation.
Measure word
taam4潭tàmhExamples
The water in this pond has turned stagnant, it smells really bad.
The company's development has stalled, it's just like a stagnant pool.
Related words
Common phrases
a pool of stagnant water (often used metaphorically)
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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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).
