dou6 mai5稻米
Jyutpingdou6 mai5
Yaledouh máih
Definition
Uncooked rice grains; the seeds of the rice plant.
colloquialfood
How it's used
While 稻米 refers to the plant or the grain in a botanical sense, everyday speakers almost exclusively use 米 for uncooked rice. Use 飯 when referring to the cooked product or a meal in general. Distinguishing between these two is essential to avoid confusion in the kitchen.
Measure word
baau1包bāuRelated words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 米 with 飯. Remember that 米 is the hard, raw grain you buy in a bag, whereas 飯 is the soft, cooked food you eat in a bowl.
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.
