si1 fei4施肥
Jyutpingsi1 fei4
Yalesī fèih
Definition
To fertilize; to apply fertilizer or manure.
neutralnaturedaily actions
How it's used
While 施肥 is the standard term for fertilizing, it sounds slightly formal or technical in casual conversation. Most people prefer using the verb 落 followed by the noun 肥料 to describe the act of applying fertilizer to plants or crops. Using 施肥 often implies a more systematic or agricultural approach rather than just tending to a few home plants.
Examples
The vegetables need fertilizer lately, otherwise they will grow slowly.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 施肥 when talking about general gardening tasks if you want to sound natural, as it can sound like you are reading from a textbook. Stick to 落肥料 for everyday situations.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
