zan1 si6珍視珍视
Jyutpingzan1 si6
Yalejān sih
Definition
To treasure, cherish, or value highly.
writtenemotiondescriptions
How it's used
This term carries a formal and literary weight, often appearing in written contexts or serious speeches rather than casual daily chatter. It implies a sense of deep appreciation or holding something sacred, making it sound more profound than the common word 珍惜. Using it in everyday conversation can make you sound overly dramatic or like you are reading from a book.
Examples
We must treasure this hard-won friendship.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 珍惜, which is the standard, everyday way to express cherishing something. While 珍視 is grammatically correct, it is rarely used in spoken Cantonese, so sticking to 珍惜 will sound much more natural.
Grammar color guide
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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.
