沙灘 / 沙滩
saa¹ taan¹
The Cantonese word for "beach" is 沙灘 / 沙滩 (saa¹ taan¹). Wiktionary also lists 灘 / 滩 (taan¹).
Meaning: sandy shore (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 沙灘 / 沙滩 | saa¹ taan¹ |
| 灘 / 滩 | taan¹ |
The term is used to refer to a sandy shore. While the full term refers specifically to a beach, the shortened version can also mean a shoal.
What does it mean word for word?
沙灘 / 沙滩 is a compound of 沙 (sand) and 灘 (beach/shoal).
Which one should you use?
沙灘 / 沙滩 is the full noun for "beach". The shorter form 灘 / 滩 can refer to a beach or a shoal depending on the context.
How do you pronounce it?
saa¹ taan¹
Did you know?
- In Hong Kong slang, if you are 'left on the beach' or 留喺沙灘, it does not mean you are relaxing, but rather that you have been abandoned or left to struggle with a task alone.
- The word 沙 / 沙 for 'sand' is used not only for sandpaper but also to describe specific textures of silk.
- While 沙灘 / 沙滩 means a sandy beach, a person might use the term 沙灘 / 沙滩 to describe a beach that is actually made of small pebbles or stones rather than sand.
Examples in context
- 今個星期天我哋去灘玩砂。We're going to the beach to play in the sand this Sunday.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beach” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
