seon3 juk6信肉
Jyutpingseon3 juk6
Yaleseun yuhk
Definition
The letter or contents enclosed inside an envelope.
colloquialcommunication
How it's used
This term literally refers to the 'flesh' of the letter, distinguishing the actual message from the envelope itself. While it is a precise term for the contents, many speakers simply use 信 to refer to both the envelope and the contents depending on the context. It is most commonly used when the physical separation of the envelope and the letter is the focus of the conversation.
Measure word
fung1封fūngExamples
Related words
Common phrases
to pull out the letter from the envelope
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the general term for a letter, 信. Using 信肉 when you simply mean a letter in a general sense can sound overly specific or slightly old-fashioned.
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.
