sung3 lai5送禮送礼
Jyutpingsung3 lai5
Yalesung láih
Definition
To give a gift or present to someone.
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How it's used
Focuses on the act of gift-giving as a social ritual rather than just the physical object itself. It is frequently used in contexts involving business etiquette or maintaining social connections with family and friends. The term carries a slightly formal or traditional weight compared to simply saying 買嘢畀人.
Examples
We always give gifts to our elders during the Lunar New Year and other festivals.
Who are you planning to give a gift to?
Related words
Common phrases
excellent items for gifting
suitable for both gifting and personal use
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe casual gift-giving between close friends, as it can sound overly formal or transactional. For informal situations, simply use 買禮物畀人 instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
