# siew dai

> English word · Adjective · IPA [ˈsjuː˨˦ ˌt˭aɪ˨]

## Definitions
1. Less sweet (as a preference when ordering coffee or tea).

## Etymology
From Chinese, though ultimate source language unascertained. Apparently 少底, literally "less base", from 少 (“less”) + 底 (“base; bottom”) in Cantonese pronunciation, referring to the condensed milk, used for sweetening, that sits at the bottom of the cup. In Cantonese this would be pronounced siu² dai², but the compound has not been traced in Cantonese.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/siew-dai