zat6 sik1窒息
Jyutpingzat6 sik1
Yalejaht sīk
Definition
To suffocate or asphyxiate.
neutralhealthbody
How it's used
While 窒息 is the standard term for medical or literal suffocation, it is frequently used metaphorically in daily life to describe feeling overwhelmed or trapped. You will often hear it used to describe a room that is poorly ventilated or a social situation that feels stifling. It carries a sense of physical distress that goes beyond just being uncomfortable.
Examples
His neck was being strangled, he almost suffocated.
The air quality here is so bad, it really feels suffocating.
Related words
Common phrases
sleep apnoea
Common mistake
Avoid using 窒息 to mean simply being out of breath from exercise, as that is better expressed as 氣喘 or 唞唔到氣. Reserve 窒息 for situations involving a complete or near-complete blockage of airflow.
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.
