aa1鴉鸦
Jyutpingaa1
Yaleā
Definition
A corvid, such as a crow, raven, or magpie.
neutralanimals
How it's used
鸦 is rarely used as a standalone noun in spoken Cantonese and almost always appears as part of the compound 烏鴉. While 鴉 refers to the family Corvidae, it is essentially a literary or taxonomic term that feels unnatural in casual conversation unless specifically discussing bird species. Most speakers will default to 烏鴉 even when referring to a single bird.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
Related words
Common phrases
crow
Common mistake
Avoid using 鴉 alone in daily speech, as it sounds overly formal or poetic. Always use 烏鴉 to ensure your Cantonese sounds natural and conversational.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
