suk1肅肃
Jyutpingsuk1
Yalesūk
Definition
Respectful and solemn; to eliminate; to welcome guests in.
- respectful; solemn; serious
- to eliminate; to clear away; to purge
- to welcome guests in; to usher in
writtendescriptions
How it's used
Used primarily in formal or literary contexts to describe a sense of gravity, respect, or silence. It rarely appears in casual daily speech, except when part of set phrases like 肅穆 or 肅立. Avoid using it as a standalone verb in conversation, as it sounds overly archaic or stiff.
Examples
They all stood solemnly, not daring to make a sound.
The atmosphere here is very solemn, everyone is very quiet.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse it with 嚴肅, which is the common, everyday way to say serious or stern. Using 肅 alone as an adjective to describe a person or a mood will sound unnatural and confusing to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
