zan3 zing6 zai1鎮靜劑镇静剂
Jyutpingzan3 zing6 zai1
Yalejan jihng jāi
Definition
Sedative or tranquilizer; medicine that suppresses the central nervous system to calm nerves and reduce anxiety.
neutralhealth
How it's used
This term is used primarily in medical or formal contexts to describe pharmaceutical interventions. While it accurately describes the drug class, people often use more descriptive phrases like 令人放鬆嘅藥 or 安眠藥 if they are referring to the sleep-inducing effects in casual conversation.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
The doctor prescribed some sedatives for him to take.
Did you take a sedative? Why are you so sleepy?
Related words
Common phrases
to take a sedative
sedative overdose
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 鎮定劑, which is a common variant but technically less precise in some medical contexts, though they are often used interchangeably by laypeople.
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.
