fok3矍

Jyutpingfok3

Yalefok

Definition

To glance around fearfully, or to be hale and hearty.

literaryto look around in fear or alarm
literaryhale and hearty; energetic (of an elderly person)

writtenpeoplehealth

How it's used

Used almost exclusively in the compound 矍鑠 to describe an elderly person who remains physically strong and mentally sharp. It carries a sense of admiration for someone who defies the typical frailty associated with old age. You will rarely encounter the character 矍 on its own in modern spoken Cantonese.

Examples

keoi5佢baat3八sap6十seoi3歲jan4人ji1依jin4然。

He is eighty years old and still hale and hearty.

gin3見dou2到keoi5佢gam3咁，ngo5我dou1都fong3放sam1心saai3晒。

Seeing him so healthy and energetic, I feel relieved.

Common phrases

hale and hearty

Common mistake

Learners often confuse this with other characters containing the same radical, but it is strictly literary and formal. Do not attempt to use it in casual conversation to describe general health, as it sounds overly academic or archaic.