fei4 zou6 kek6肥皂劇肥皂剧
Jyutpingfei4 zou6 kek6
Yalefèih jouh kehk
Definition
Soap opera, typically featuring superficial domestic drama and relationship conflicts.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
While the term originates from American radio dramas sponsored by soap manufacturers, in Hong Kong it carries a specific connotation of low quality or repetitive melodrama. It is often used pejoratively to dismiss a show as having shallow character development or predictable plot twists. You will hear it used to describe local television dramas that rely heavily on family feuds or romantic entanglements.
Measure word
tou3套touExamples
She watches soap operas all the time until she cries.
The plot of this show is so cliché, it's basically a soap opera.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the more general term 電視劇 which is neutral. Using 肥皂劇 to describe a high quality or critically acclaimed show will sound insulting rather than descriptive.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
