baak6 zaa2白鮓白鲊
Jyutpingbaak6 zaa2
Yalebaahk já
Definition
Jellyfish, or a nickname for a traffic police officer.
- slangjellyfish
- slangtraffic police officer, from the historic white sleeves of their uniform
slanganimalspeople
How it's used
The term originated from the white sleeve covers worn by traffic police in the past, which looked like the translucent tentacles of a jellyfish. While the uniform design has changed, the nickname persists among older generations and taxi drivers. Using it for the animal is standard, but using it for police is strictly slang and carries a slightly mocking or cautious tone.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
There are many jellyfish by the beach, don't touch them.
There are traffic police catching people ahead, drive carefully.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this term in a formal setting or when speaking directly to a police officer, as it is considered disrespectful slang. Most younger people may not immediately associate it with traffic police due to the change in uniform.
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.
