aa1 wu1 po2鴉烏婆鸦乌婆
Jyutpingaa1 wu1 po2
Yaleā wū pó
Definition
An ugly woman, or a bogeywoman in children's folklore used to scare kids.
- vulgarugly woman
- figurativea mythical witch or female bogeyman who kidnaps children
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Originally referring to a mythical child-snatching monster, this term has evolved into a common insult for a woman who looks disheveled, unkempt, or unattractive. It carries a strong, slightly mean-spirited tone, often used when someone has messy hair or sloppy clothes. It is rarely used to describe someone's actual personality, focusing almost exclusively on physical appearance.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Why do you look like such a mess?
She doesn't usually wear makeup, she looks like a total hag.
Related words
Common phrases
looking like a total witch
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a woman who is simply old, as it specifically targets the lack of grooming or a scary, unkempt appearance. Using it on someone who is just elderly is considered highly offensive and rude.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
