so2 si4鎖匙锁匙
Jyutpingso2 si4
Yalesó sìh
Definition
Key; a physical object used for opening a lock.
colloquialhomedaily actions
How it's used
While 鎖匙 is the standard term for a key, you will often hear people use the English loanword 匙羹 when referring to a spoon, which can be confusing for beginners. When talking about a set of keys, it is common to use the measure word 抽 to describe the whole bunch. It is also very common to refer to the act of locking a door as 鎖門 rather than using the noun as a verb.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
I forgot to take my keys when I left the house.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse 鎖匙 with 匙羹, which means spoon. Learners sometimes mistakenly use 匙 as a standalone word for key, but in Cantonese, it is almost always used as part of the full compound 鎖匙.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
