wu1 seoi2污水
Jyutpingwu1 seoi2
Yalewū séui
Definition
Sewage, wastewater, or dirty water.
neutralother
How it's used
Refers specifically to wastewater that has been contaminated by human or industrial activity. While it literally translates to dirty water, it is almost exclusively used in formal or technical contexts like infrastructure and environmental protection. In casual daily conversation, people are much more likely to use the adjective 污糟 to describe water that is simply dirty or murky.
Measure word
gong1缸gōngExamples
The sewage here smells really bad.
Why are you pouring dirty water into the drain?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this word to describe a glass of water that has dust in it or a puddle on the floor, as it implies chemical or biological contamination rather than just being unwashed.
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.
