faan1 sek6 lau2番石榴
Jyutpingfaan1 sek6 lau2
Yalefāan sehk láu
Definition
Guava; a round green fruit with thin skin and sweet white flesh.
colloquialfood
How it's used
Locals often refer to this fruit simply as 番石榴, but in casual market settings, you might hear people call it 芭樂. It is a popular snack that is frequently eaten with a dash of plum powder to enhance the sweetness. Unlike some other fruits, it is almost always eaten while the flesh is still firm and crunchy.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
How many guavas did you buy to take home?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse the pronunciation with other fruits, but the main thing to remember is that it is a very common, affordable fruit in Hong Kong, so do not mistake it for a rare or exotic item.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.



