si6 jau4豉油
Jyutpingsi6 jau4
Yalesih yàuh
Definition
Soy sauce.
colloquialfood
How it's used
Cantonese speakers almost exclusively use 豉油 in daily life, whereas the term 醬油 is understood but sounds formal or like a direct translation from written Chinese. It is the essential seasoning for Cantonese home-style cooking, particularly for steamed dishes or as a dipping sauce. When buying it, you might hear people distinguish between 生抽 for light soy sauce and 老抽 for dark soy sauce.
Measure word
zeon1樽jēunExamples
Steamed fish tastes better with a little soy sauce.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using 醬油 in casual conversation as it sounds unnatural and overly formal to a local ear.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
