sei3 cyu3四處四处
Jyutpingsei3 cyu3
Yalesei chyu
Definition
Everywhere; all around; in all directions.
colloquialdaily actionsplaces
How it's used
While standard in written Chinese, this term is frequently replaced by 四圍 or 周圍 in daily spoken Cantonese. It carries a slightly more active or descriptive feel when talking about movement or searching. Using it in conversation is perfectly acceptable, but you will sound more natural to locals if you lean toward the more common colloquial alternatives.
Examples
He travels everywhere all the time, I am so envious.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 四圍, which can function as a noun or a location marker, whereas 四處 is almost exclusively used as an adverbial phrase describing where an action takes place.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
