but6脖
Jyutpingbut6
Yalebuht
Definition
Neck.
colloquialbody
How it's used
Use 頸 exclusively in spoken Cantonese to refer to the neck, as 脖 is strictly a literary or written character that does not appear in natural conversation. It is common to pair this with body parts like 膊頭 for shoulders or 喉嚨 for throat when describing physical discomfort. When someone is being stubborn or difficult, you might hear people use the phrase 頸硬 to describe them.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhRelated words
Common mistake
Avoid using 脖 in speech because it sounds unnatural and overly formal to native speakers. Always use 頸 instead.
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).
