doek3琢
Jyutpingdoek3
Yaledeuk
Definition
To polish and carve raw jade, turning it into a valuable ornamental piece.
writtendaily actionsdescriptions
How it's used
Primarily used in literary contexts or idioms, this term is rarely applied to literal jade carving in daily speech. It is most commonly encountered in the compound 琢磨, which has evolved to mean pondering, thinking over, or refining an idea or a piece of creative work. When used in this figurative sense, it implies a process of careful, iterative improvement rather than just physical labor.
Examples
This piece of jade needs to be polished slowly to look beautiful.
How long have you been refining this piece of work?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 啄, which means to peck. While they share a similar visual component, 啄 is used for birds or actions involving a sharp point, whereas 琢 is strictly about refinement and polishing.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- 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.
