wai1威
Jyutpingwai1
Yalewāi
Definition
Whisky; a short form of 威士忌.
colloquialdrink
How it's used
Using this single character abbreviation makes you sound like a regular at a bar or a social drinker. It is almost exclusively used in casual settings when ordering or discussing what to drink. You will rarely hear it in a formal business dinner or a high end establishment where the full name is preferred.
Measure word
bui1杯būiExamples
Let's go to the bar tonight and have a couple of whiskies.
Do you prefer drinking whisky or beer?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the adjective 威, which means cool or impressive, as the context is usually clear but the tone differs significantly.
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.
