zi6 sai3自細自细
Jyutpingzi6 sai3
Yalejih sai
Definition
Since childhood; from when one was small.
colloquialtimepeople
How it's used
Focuses on the duration of a habit or state starting from early life. It is almost always followed by the particle 就 to emphasize the continuity of the action or preference from that early point in time.
Examples
Have you liked drawing since you were a child?
Related words
Common phrases
have liked since childhood
Common mistake
Avoid using it to describe a specific event that happened in childhood, as it specifically refers to a continuous state or recurring habit that has persisted over time.
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.
