sik6 seoi2食水
Jyutpingsik6 seoi2
Yalesihk séui
Definition
Drinking water, or the draft of a vessel.
- potable water; drinking water
- technicaldraft; the depth of a ship's keel below the waterline
neutralfooddrink
How it's used
Refers specifically to water that is safe for human consumption, distinguishing it from general water used for washing or industrial purposes. It is frequently used in news reports and official announcements regarding water quality or supply levels in reservoirs. Beyond its literal meaning, it is sometimes used metaphorically in business or gambling contexts to describe the profit margin or the amount of money being siphoned off.
Measure word
bui1杯būiExamples
Is the drinking water here clean?
The government says the drinking water supply is very sufficient.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the general word 水, which refers to water in any state or form. Using 食水 to refer to water in a swimming pool or a river would sound unnatural, as it implies the water is intended for drinking.
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.
