zai3 seoi2制水
Jyutpingzai3 seoi2
Yalejai séui
Definition
To ration water or restrict water supply, typically due to a shortage.
colloquialotherdaily actions
How it's used
This term carries a strong historical resonance for older generations in Hong Kong who lived through severe droughts in the 1960s. It specifically refers to the government policy of turning off the water supply for long periods to conserve resources. While modern infrastructure has made it rare, the term remains a common way to describe any situation where water access is strictly limited.
Examples
If it doesn't rain again, the government will have to ration water.
Do you remember having to queue for water back when water was rationed?
Related words
Common phrases
period of water rationing
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply turning off a tap or a temporary pipe repair. 制水 implies a large scale, government mandated restriction affecting a whole district or the entire city due to a lack of supply.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
