cau1 jau4抽油

Jyutpingcau1 jau4

Yalechāu yàuh

Definition

Soy sauce.

colloquialfood

How it's used

While 豉油 is the standard and most common term for soy sauce in Hong Kong, 抽油 is a common regional variant often heard in older generations or specific local contexts. It derives from the traditional extraction process of soy sauce brewing. You will find it used interchangeably in markets and traditional grocery stores.

Measure word

zi1支jī

Examples

le1呢dip2碟zing1蒸jyu2魚jiu3要lok6落do1多di1啲cau1抽jau2油sin1先hou2好sik6食。

This steamed fish needs more soy sauce to taste good.

nei5你uk1屋kei2企zung6仲jau5有mou5冇cau1抽jau2油aa4呀？

Do you still have soy sauce at home?

Common phrases

lok6落cau1抽jau2油

to add soy sauce

jat1一zi1支cau1抽jau2油

a bottle of soy sauce

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 抽油煙機, which refers to a kitchen range hood. Using 抽油 in a sentence about cleaning the kitchen might lead to confusion if the listener thinks you are talking about the appliance rather than the condiment.