fuk1 se3腹瀉腹泻
Jyutpingfuk1 se3
Yalefūk se
Definition
Diarrhea; a condition of frequent, loose, or watery bowel movements, often caused by intestinal infection.
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How it's used
腹瀉 is the formal, medical term used in clinical settings or written reports, whereas 肚痾 is the standard colloquial term used in everyday speech. Using 腹瀉 in casual conversation can sound overly clinical or stiff, similar to saying "experiencing gastrointestinal distress" instead of "having the runs" in English. It is common to see 腹瀉 on medicine labels or in health advice columns.
Examples
I ate something wrong today and ended up having diarrhoea many times.
How long have you had diarrhoea? Do you need to see a doctor?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 腹瀉 in casual conversation where 肚痾 is much more natural. Additionally, remember that 肚痾 is a verb-object construction, so you can say 我肚痾咗, but you treat 腹瀉 more like a noun or a formal condition.
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.
