ceng1 ning2青檸青柠
Jyutpingceng1 ning2
Yalechēng níng
Definition
Lime; a sour, pale yellowish-green citrus fruit primarily used for flavoring food and drinks.
colloquialfooddrink
How it's used
青檸 is specifically used for the small, green, sour fruit, whereas 檸檬 usually refers to the larger, yellow variety. In local beverage culture, 青檸 is frequently paired with soda or used in Southeast Asian dishes, while 檸檬 is the standard for classic Hong Kong style tea drinks.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
This iced lemon tea needs more lime.
How many limes did you buy to take home?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse 青檸 with 檸檬, as they have distinct flavor profiles and culinary applications. Using the wrong one in a recipe or at a restaurant can significantly change the intended taste.
Grammar color guide
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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).
