sei3 si4四時四时

Jyutpingsei3 si4

Yalesei sìh

名詞

Definition

The four seasons of the year, or the four periods of a day.

the four seasons of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter)
the four periods of a day (morning, afternoon, evening, and night)

colloquialtime

How it's used

Refers to either the cycle of the four seasons or the cycle of the day, depending on the context of the sentence. It carries a sense of continuity or persistence, often used to describe habits or states that remain unchanged regardless of the time frame. It is slightly more formal or literary than saying 成年 or 成日, but still commonly understood in spoken Cantonese.

Examples

keoi5佢sei3四si4時dou1都gam3咁kan4勤lik6力，zan1真hai6係hou2好naan4難dak1得。

He is diligent all year round, it is really rare.

nei5你sei3四si4時dou1都jiu3要jam2飲gam3咁do1多seoi2水，m4唔geng1驚seoi2水zung2腫me1咩？

You drink so much water throughout the day, aren't you afraid of bloating?

Common phrases

sei3四si4時jyu4如jat1一

the same throughout the year or day

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with the time 4 o'clock, which is 四點. Using 四時 to mean 4 o'clock will cause confusion as it is strictly interpreted as a duration or a cycle.