aai1 bok3 laai1埃博拉
Jyutpingaai1 bok3 laai1
Yaleāai bok lāai
Definition
The Ebola virus.
neutralhealth
How it's used
While the scientific name is 埃博拉, Hong Kong speakers almost exclusively use 伊波拉 in daily life and news media. Using the former sounds like reading directly from a mainland Chinese textbook and will mark you as an outsider. It is a loanword based on the phonetic sound of the river in Africa.
Related words
Common phrases
Ebola virus
Common mistake
Do not use 埃博拉 in conversation as it sounds unnatural and overly formal in a Hong Kong context. Always stick to 伊波拉 for clarity and local appropriateness.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
