soeng6 ji1上衣
Jyutpingsoeng6 ji1
Yaleseuhng yī
Definition
Top; a garment worn on the upper body.
neutralclothing
How it's used
Refers specifically to clothing worn on the upper body, but in daily life, people almost always use 衫 instead. Using 上衣 sounds slightly more formal or descriptive, similar to how one might specify a blouse or shirt in English when a generic word would suffice. It is common in retail settings or when describing a specific outfit in detail.
Measure word
gin2件gínExamples
Do you see where I put my white top?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this word in casual conversation to refer to any piece of clothing, as it sounds stiff and unnatural. Stick to 衫 for general use unless you are specifically distinguishing an upper garment from trousers or a skirt.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
