seoi4 leoi6垂淚垂泪
Jyutpingseoi4 leoi6
Yalesèuih leuih
Definition
To shed tears; to cry or weep.
writtenemotionbody
How it's used
This term carries a literary and somewhat dramatic tone that is rarely used in casual, everyday speech. It is mostly encountered in written descriptions, song lyrics, or when someone is being intentionally poetic or hyperbolic about crying. For standard daily conversation, people almost exclusively use 喊 or 流眼淚.
Examples
After watching the movie, she couldn't help but shed tears.
Why are you sitting there shedding tears all by yourself?
Related words
Common phrases
shedding tears in secret
Common mistake
Learners often use this in normal contexts where it sounds overly formal or melodramatic, making the speaker sound like they are narrating a period drama. Stick to 喊 for routine situations.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
