syu3戍
Jyutpingsyu3
Yalesyu
Definition
To guard and defend the national border.
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How it's used
This character is almost exclusively found in formal or historical contexts related to military defense of borders. It is a morpheme that rarely stands alone in modern spoken Cantonese, appearing mostly in compound words like 戍守. Using it in daily conversation would sound highly literary or archaic.
Examples
In ancient times, soldiers had to guard the border for years.
Is it very hard for them to defend the frontier?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 戎, which refers to weapons or military affairs in a broader sense, or 戒, which means to warn or abstain. Learners often mistake the visual similarity of these characters when reading classical texts.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
