faa1 lau5花柳
Jyutpingfaa1 lau5
Yalefā láuh
Definition
Venereal disease or sexually transmitted infection.
colloquialhealthpeople
How it's used
This term is considered quite dated and carries a strong moralistic or derogatory tone compared to the modern clinical term 性病. It originates from the idiom 尋花問柳, which refers to visiting brothels, and thus links the illness directly to promiscuous behavior in a way that modern medical terminology avoids. Using this word today can sound judgmental or archaic.
Examples
He used to go out and fool around all the time, who knew he would end up catching a venereal disease.
Related words
Common phrases
to contract a venereal disease
Common mistake
Do not use this word in a medical or professional context, as it is offensive and imprecise. It is strictly a colloquial, old-fashioned label that carries heavy social stigma.
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.
