試
si3
The English verb "try" is translated into Cantonese as 試 (si3).
The word 試 is used to express the act of attempting something.
Meaning: to attempt (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
You can modify the verb to change the nuance of the attempt. Adding the aspect marker 下 (haa5) after 試 makes the attempt sound more casual or suggests a brief trial, written as 試下. The variation 試吓 is also used colloquially to mean "try (a bit)". If you want to indicate that an attempt has already been completed, add the aspect marker 咗 (zo2) to form 試咗, which means "tried".
How do you pronounce it?
si3
Did you know?
- While 試 means to try, the phrase 試膽 literally means 'trying one's gall' and refers to a traditional dare to test one's courage.
- The character 試 shares its root with the word for 'exam' or 'test' in Cantonese, meaning that to 'try' something is linguistically linked to being graded.
- The colloquial version 試吓 uses a character that originally meant 'to look down', though it now functions as a grammatical marker for a brief action.
Examples in context
- 俾我試多次吖。Let me try again.This sentence shows how to use 試 to express a request to try something again.Tatoeba #5949241 by nickyeow, translation #3008806 by CK
- 你試下都得啩。You could at least try.This sentence demonstrates using 試 to suggest that someone should at least make an attempt.Tatoeba #12112181 by thesilhouette, translation #2645591 by CK
- 請你俾我試吓隻遊戲啦。Please let me try the game.This sentence is useful for using 試 to ask to try a game.Tatoeba #4544381 by kaenif, translation #249692 by CK
- 我試下呢個新方法。Let me try this new method.
- 請你試下同我傾下。Please try discussing it with me.
- 我試吓呢個新食物。Let me try this new food.
- 你試吓講廣東話。You should try speaking Cantonese.
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a restaurant, looking at the menu.
- 美玲 Mei Ling呢款嘢食好似唔錯，要唔要試下？ni1 fun1 je5 sik6 hou2 ci5 m4 co3, jiu3 m4 jiu3 si3 haa5?This food looks quite good, do you want to try it?
- 志強 Chi Keung好呀，我哋試下啦。hou2 aa3, ngo5 dei6 si3 haa5 laa1.Okay, let's try it.
- 美玲 Mei Ling志強，你覺得味道點呀？zi3 koeng4, nei5 gok3 dak1 mei6 dou6 dim2 aa3?Chi Keung, how do you think it tastes?
- 志強 Chi Keung味道真係好正！mei6 dou6 zan1 hai6 hou2 zing3!The taste is really great!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
