coeng1 faa1窗花
Jyutpingcoeng1 faa1
Yalechēung fā
Definition
Window grille; bars installed on window frames to prevent theft or falls.
colloquialhome
How it's used
Refers specifically to the metal bars or mesh installed on windows for security or safety. It is distinct from the decorative paper cuttings used during Lunar New Year, which are also called 窗花 in Mandarin. In a Hong Kong context, it almost exclusively refers to the functional metal structure.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Is the window grille at your place rusty?
Installing window grilles prevents theft and is safer for living on high floors.
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the decorative paper art known as 窗花 in Northern China, as Hong Kongers will almost always interpret the term as the physical metal security bars.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
