caa1杈
Jyutpingcaa1
Yalechā
Definition
A pitchfork or fork-like tool.
colloquialother
How it's used
Used primarily to describe agricultural tools with multiple prongs, this character is rarely encountered in urban Hong Kong daily life. It is often confused with or replaced by more general terms for tools or sticks in casual conversation. When it does appear, it specifically denotes the pronged implement used for moving hay or manure.
Measure word
zi1支jīExamples
He is holding a pitchfork to work at the farm.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 叉, which is the common character for a fork used for eating or the verb to fork/cross. 杈 is strictly for the agricultural tool or a branch-like structure, whereas 叉 is ubiquitous in food and everyday contexts.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
