cing1 mei4 sou3青黴素青霉素
Jyutpingcing1 mei4 sou3
Yalechīng mèih sou
Definition
Penicillin; one of the earliest antibiotics used in medicine.
neutralhealth
How it's used
Medical professionals and pharmacists in Hong Kong frequently use the English term penicillin directly in conversation rather than the Chinese characters. When reading the characters aloud, it is common to use the formal pronunciation, but in a clinical setting, switching to the English word is standard practice to avoid any ambiguity.
Examples
The doctor said he is allergic to penicillin.
Does this medicine contain penicillin?
Related words
Common phrases
penicillin allergy
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with general terms for antibiotics like 抗生素, but remember that this is a specific type of medication. Using it as a catch-all for any pill or antibiotic will sound unnatural.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
