si1 tai2屍體尸体
Jyutpingsi1 tai2
Yalesī tái
Definition
Corpse, dead body, or cadaver of a human or animal.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Refers exclusively to human remains in formal or journalistic contexts. Using it to describe a dead animal is considered incorrect or dehumanizing, as terms like 屍骸 or 屍首 are preferred for non-human subjects. It carries a clinical and detached tone, making it unsuitable for casual conversation about a deceased person.
Measure word
geoi6具geuihExamples
The police found a corpse on the hillside.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use it for any dead thing, but it is strictly reserved for human bodies. When speaking about a deceased person in a respectful way, avoid this word entirely and use terms like 先人 or 離世者 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
