seoi6 gaau3睡覺睡觉
Jyutpingseoi6 gaau3
Yaleseuih gaau
Definition
To sleep; to go to bed.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
瞓覺 is the standard colloquial term for sleeping in Cantonese. While 睡覺 is understood in writing, it sounds unnatural and overly formal in daily speech. Using 瞓 instead of 睡 is the most immediate way to sound more like a local speaker.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 睡覺 because it appears in textbooks, but using it in casual conversation can make you sound like you are reading from a script or speaking Mandarin. Stick to 瞓覺 for all everyday situations.
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.
