雪
syut³
雪 (syut³) is the Cantonese word for snow.
雪 refers to the crystalline precipitation of frozen water falling from the sky or the white accumulation of it on the ground. To describe the action of snowing, you use the verb phrase 落雪. When you want to describe the specific activity of playing in the snow, you use 玩雪.
Meaning: partly frozen, crystalline state of water that falls from the atmosphere as precipitation in flakes, falling of such flakes, accumulation of them as a white layer (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The verb for snowing, 落雪, is a combination of the verb 落 (to fall) and the noun 雪 (snow).
Which one should you use?
While 雪 is the general term for snow, the formal term 霰 refers specifically to sleet or small icy particles.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To indicate that it has snowed (the past tense or completed aspect), insert the aspect particle 咗 between the verb and the noun to form 落咗雪.
How do you pronounce it?
syut³
Did you know?
- In Cantonese-speaking areas with colder climates, the word 雪櫃 is used for a 'refrigerator', literally meaning 'snow cabinet'.
- In Cantonese, the word 雪 is a homophone for the word meaning 'to shell' or 'to peel' (such as peeling a shrimp), though they are written with different characters.
- The character 雪 is used in many Cantonese idioms to describe something being extremely pure or white, much like how English uses 'snow-white'.
Examples in context
- 舊年落咗好多雪。There was a lot of snow last year.This sentence is useful for talking about the amount of 雪 that fell in the past.Tatoeba #433476 by nickyeow, translation #418879 by CK
- 報紙話聽日落雪喎。According to the paper, it will snow tomorrow.This sentence is useful for reporting a prediction about 雪.Tatoeba #6082097 by nickyeow, translation #269408 by CK
- 班細路喺出面玩緊雪。The children are out playing in the snow.This sentence is useful for describing children engaged in the activity of 雪.Tatoeba #5761079 by nickyeow, translation #5752731 by CK
- 今日有霰。There is sleet today.
- 今日好多雪花！There are many snowflakes today!
- 睇！落雪啦！Look! It's snowing!
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are looking out the window at a winter landscape.
- 子健 Tsz Kin出面落緊雪喎。ceot1 min6 lok6 gan2 syut3 wo3.It is snowing outside.
- 美玲 Mei Ling真係好靚呀。zan1 hai6 hou2 leng3 aa3.It is really beautiful.
- 子健 Tsz Kin啲雪好似棉花咁。di1 syut3 hou2 ci5 min4 faa1 gam2.The snow looks like cotton.
- 美玲 Mei Ling子健，快啲出嚟睇下。zi2 gin6, faai3 di1 ceot1 lai4 tai2 haa5.Zi Kin, come out quickly to see.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “snow” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
