syu1樞枢
Jyutpingsyu1
Yalesyū
Definition
A door hinge, or a center of power and key control point.
- literarydoor hinge; pivot; hub
- center of power; key position; crucial point
writtenother
How it's used
Rarely used in everyday spoken Cantonese as a standalone noun, it almost exclusively appears in the compound 樞紐 to describe a central hub or a critical point in a network. It carries a formal or technical tone, often appearing in news reports or official documents regarding transport, logistics, or political structures. You will almost never hear it used in casual conversation to describe a literal door hinge.
Examples
This is the hub of the entire plan.
Do you know who the center of power is?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 樞紐, but using the single character 樞 in isolation will sound extremely archaic or confusing to native speakers. Stick to the compound 樞紐 for clarity.
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.
