baak6 zuk1白粥
Jyutpingbaak6 zuk1
Yalebaahk jūk
Definition
Plain rice congee; rice gruel cooked without any added ingredients.
colloquialfoodhealth
How it's used
Often considered the ultimate comfort food in Hong Kong, especially when someone is feeling unwell or has an upset stomach. It serves as a neutral base that is frequently paired with salty side dishes like 炸兩 or 油炸鬼 to balance the blandness. Ordering it at a traditional congee shop is a quintessential local experience.
Measure word
wun2碗wúnExamples
Eating a bowl of plain congee in the morning is the most comfortable.
You are sick, how about I cook some plain congee for you to eat?
Related words
Common phrases
a bowl of plain congee
plain congee with fried dough sticks
Common mistake
Do not confuse it with other types of congee that contain meat or seafood, as those are referred to by their specific ingredients like 皮蛋瘦肉粥. If you just ask for 粥, the server will likely ask you what kind you want, so specifying 白粥 ensures you get the plain version.
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.
