caan1 dou1餐刀

Jyutpingcaan1 dou1

Yalechāan dōu

名詞

Definition

A table knife with a relatively blunt blade and rounded tip, used as tableware for cutting cooked food.

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How it's used

Refers specifically to the blunt, rounded-tip knife used for eating rather than preparing food. While it is a standard part of Western cutlery, it is rarely used in traditional Chinese dining settings where chopsticks and spoons are the primary tools. You will mostly encounter this term when dining at Western-style restaurants or hotels.

Measure word

baa2把bá

Examples

maa4麻faan4煩bong1幫ngo5我lo2攞baa2把caan1餐dou1刀gwo3過lai2嚟。

Please bring me a table knife.

le1呢baa2把caan1餐dou1刀deon6鈍dou3到cit3切m4唔hoi1開faai3塊ngau4牛paa2扒。

This table knife is so blunt that it cannot cut the steak.

Common phrases

lo2攞caan1餐dou1刀

get a table knife

jung6用caan1餐dou1刀

use a table knife

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 菜刀, which is a sharp kitchen knife used for chopping raw ingredients. Using the word 餐刀 to describe a kitchen knife sounds very strange to native speakers.