zing2 sung3整餸
Jyutpingzing2 sung3
Yalejíng sung
Definition
To prepare ingredients and dishes for a meal, especially the steps before cooking such as chopping or marinating.
colloquialfooddaily actions
How it's used
Focuses on the entire process of meal preparation rather than just the act of cooking over heat. It encompasses everything from washing and chopping vegetables to marinating meat. While it can imply cooking, it is often used to describe the labor intensive work done in the kitchen before the food actually hits the wok.
Examples
What dishes are you planning to prepare tonight?
Related words
Common phrases
preparing dishes is very troublesome
Common mistake
Avoid using this to mean cooking rice or boiling noodles, as it specifically refers to the side dishes or main courses that accompany the staple. If you are just boiling water or heating up leftovers, other verbs like 煮 or 翻熱 are more appropriate.
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.
