baau1胞
Jyutpingbaau1
Yalebāau
Definition
A biological cell; also used to describe a blood relationship.
- the basic unit of life; cell
- having a blood relationship
neutralhealthother
How it's used
Functions primarily as a bound morpheme in scientific terminology rather than as a standalone noun. It appears most frequently in biological contexts, most notably in the word 細胞. While it can also refer to blood relations in formal or literary contexts, such as 同胞, it is rarely used this way in casual daily speech.
Examples
These cells are very small, you cannot see them with the naked eye.
Do you know how cells divide?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not attempt to use this word on its own to mean a biological cell in conversation. Always use the full compound 細胞 to ensure clarity, as the single character is ambiguous and sounds overly formal or archaic.
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.
