siew dai (English)
Where does "siew dai" come from?
The English adjective 'siew dai' originates from Chinese, though its ultimate source language remains unascertained[1]. It appears to be derived from the Cantonese terms '少' meaning 'less' and '底' meaning 'base' or 'bottom'[1]. The phrase literally translates to 'less base' and refers to the practice of reducing the amount of condensed milk, which acts as a sweetener and typically settles at the bottom of a cup of coffee or tea[1]. Although the compound is used to denote a preference for a less sweet drink, it has not been traced in Cantonese, where the constituent parts would be pronounced 'siu² dai²'[1].
Open questions
- The ultimate source language for this term remains unascertained. [1]
- The compound has not been directly traced in the Cantonese language despite its phonetic roots. [1]
Full etymology tree
- siew dai (English), 'Less sweet (as a preference when ordering coffee or tea).'
- compound 少 (siu) (Cantonese)
- compound 底 (dai) (Cantonese)
Sources
Updated August 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris