bei1篦
Jyutpingbei1
Yalebēi
Definition
To comb hair.
colloquialdaily actionsbody
How it's used
Refers specifically to the action of using a fine toothed comb to remove lice or dandruff, though it is now commonly used for general combing. It carries a slightly more tactile or thorough nuance than the generic 梳. Using this word often implies a sense of grooming care or tidying up stray hairs.
Examples
The first thing she does after waking up in the morning is comb her hair.
Related words
Common phrases
to comb hair
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 梳, which is the general verb for combing hair. 篦 is more specific to the action of using a fine comb, and using it in casual conversation might sound slightly old fashioned or overly descriptive compared to the everyday 梳.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
