cau4綢绸
Jyutpingcau4
Yalechàuh
Definition
Silk; a type of fabric woven from silk fibers.
neutralclothing
How it's used
Used almost exclusively as a bound morpheme in compound words rather than as a standalone noun in modern speech. It carries a sense of traditional luxury and refinement, often appearing in contexts involving formal attire or high quality textiles.
Examples
Do you like clothes made of silk satin?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistake it for a common noun, but it is rarely used alone to mean silk in daily conversation; use 絲綢 instead when referring to the material generally.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
