si1 suk6私塾
Jyutpingsi1 suk6
Yalesī suhk
Definition
A private school in traditional China.
neutralschool
How it's used
Refers specifically to traditional, small-scale private educational institutions that existed before the modern school system. It carries a strong historical connotation and is rarely used to describe modern private tutoring or contemporary private schools. When discussing modern private education, terms like 私立學校 are used instead.
Measure word
gaan1間gānExamples
People in the past mostly went to private schools to study.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use this word to describe modern private schools or cram schools, which is incorrect as it strictly implies a historical context.
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.
