bou2 ban2補品补品
Jyutpingbou2 ban2
Yalebóu bán
Definition
Tonic or highly nutritious food used to nourish and strengthen the body, such as ginseng.
colloquialfoodhealth
How it's used
Refers specifically to traditional Chinese medicinal ingredients or health foods believed to restore energy or vitality. It is often used in the context of recovery from illness or childbirth, reflecting the cultural emphasis on maintaining internal balance. The term carries a slightly old-fashioned or medicinal connotation compared to modern health supplements.
Measure word
zung3種jungExamples
You have been very tired lately, buy some tonics to nourish your body.
Are these tonics actually good for the body?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with general healthy food like vegetables or fruit. It specifically implies concentrated, often expensive, or medicinal substances like ginseng or bird's nest.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
