faat3 coi3髮菜发菜
Jyutpingfaat3 coi3
Yalefaat choi
Definition
Fat choy; an edible terrestrial cyanobacterium that grows in deserts and is used in Chinese cuisine.
colloquialfoodfestival
How it's used
This ingredient is almost exclusively associated with Lunar New Year celebrations because its name sounds identical to the phrase for getting rich. It is traditionally braised with dried oysters to create a dish that represents wealth and good fortune. Due to environmental concerns regarding over-harvesting in desert regions, many people now use synthetic or alternative products that mimic the texture.
Measure word
zaat3紮jatExamples
Eating fat choy during Chinese New Year symbolizes prosperity.
Do you like eating fat choy with dried oysters?
Related words
Common phrases
fat choy with dried oysters
Common mistake
Do not confuse the pronunciation of 髮菜 with 發財, although they sound the same in Cantonese, they refer to different things; one is the vegetable and the other is the concept of prosperity.
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.
