cou2 maang5草蜢
Jyutpingcou2 maang5
Yalechóu máahng
Definition
Grasshopper, or a slang term for a New Territories taxi in Hong Kong.
- grasshopper
- slangNew Territories taxi in Hong Kong
colloquialanimalstransport
How it's used
Beyond the insect, this term is widely used as taxi driver jargon to refer to the green taxis that operate in the New Territories. The name stems from their distinct green color, which resembles the insect. It is a common piece of local slang that you will hear when discussing transport options in rural areas.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
Grasshoppers jump really far, can you catch one?
That New Territories taxi is circling around Yuen Long looking for business.
Related words
Common phrases
green grasshopper (often referring to the taxi)
catch a grasshopper
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the famous Hong Kong boy band of the same name, Grasshopper, which is a household name in local pop culture.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
