coeng1 pou4菖蒲
Jyutpingcoeng1 pou4
Yalechēung pòuh
Definition
Sweet flag (Acorus calamus) or Japanese iris (Iris ensata).
- sweet flag (Acorus calamus); a wetland plant used in traditional medicine and festivals
- Japanese iris (Iris ensata); a traditional flowering plant with large purple or white flowers
neutralnaturefestival
How it's used
Cultural significance centers on the Dragon Boat Festival, where it is paired with 艾草 to ward off evil spirits and pests. While the term covers both the medicinal wetland plant and the ornamental Japanese iris, context usually clarifies which is meant based on whether the discussion is about traditional medicine or gardening.
Measure word
fo2棵fóExamples
During the Dragon Boat Festival, my family hangs some sweetflag by the door.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 菖蒲 with 艾草 because they are almost always mentioned together during the Dragon Boat Festival. Remember that 菖蒲 has sword-like leaves, whereas 艾草 has soft, feathery, and fragrant leaves.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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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.
