si6 man5 tou2士敏土
Jyutpingsi6 man5 tou2
Yalesih máhn tóu
Definition
Cement; a grey powder made of calcium oxide and silicon dioxide used as a primary ingredient in concrete.
colloquialother
How it's used
Derived from the English word cement, this term is primarily used by older generations or in traditional construction contexts. Younger speakers and modern construction workers almost exclusively use the term 石屎 to refer to concrete, or simply use the English word cement directly in professional settings. It carries a slightly nostalgic or old fashioned tone compared to modern technical vocabulary.
Measure word
baau1包bāuExamples
The renovation here requires a lot of cement.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 石屎, which refers specifically to concrete, the hardened mixture of cement, water, and aggregate. Using this word to describe a finished concrete wall will sound unnatural to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
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.
