siu1 wai2燒毀烧毁
Jyutpingsiu1 wai2
Yalesīu wái
Definition
To destroy, ruin, or consume something by fire.
neutraldaily actionsother
How it's used
Focuses on the destructive result of fire rather than the act of burning itself. While often used for physical structures or objects, it carries a sense of finality and loss. It is more formal than simply saying 燒爛 or 燒晒.
Examples
Why did he have to burn those important documents?
Related words
Common phrases
to burn documents
to destroy a building by fire
Common mistake
Avoid using this for cooking or small-scale burning, as it implies total destruction or ruin. For everyday burning like trash or paper, use 燒 instead.
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.
