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Jyutpingdung1 gwaa1
Yaledūng gwā
Definition
Winter melon or wax gourd; a succulent, mild-flavored, white-fleshed vegetable.
neutralfood
How it's used
Winter melon is a staple in Cantonese home cooking, prized for its cooling properties in hot, humid weather. It is almost exclusively used in soups or braised dishes because its mild, absorbent flesh soaks up the flavors of meat or dried seafood like scallops. Unlike many other vegetables, it is rarely stir-fried on its own.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Shall we make some winter melon soup to drink tonight?
This winter melon is huge, enough for the whole family to eat.
Related words
Common phrases
winter melon soup served inside the hollowed-out melon
winter melon soup
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 南瓜, which is pumpkin. While both are gourds, they have very different textures and culinary uses.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
