gaa3 lei1咖喱
Jyutpinggaa3 lei1
Yalega lēi
Definition
Curry; a dish made with various spices, typically spicy, with a sauce-like consistency.
colloquialfood
How it's used
Refers specifically to the thick, spiced sauce dish rather than the individual spices themselves. It is frequently used as a prefix for various proteins, such as 咖喱牛腩 or 咖喱魚蛋, which are staples in local cha chaan tengs and street food stalls.
Measure word
dip2碟dípExamples
Shall we have chicken curry for dinner tonight?
The curry at this restaurant is very flavorful.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse the pronunciation with the English word curry, as the Cantonese version has a distinct tone pattern that is essential for being understood in a local eatery.
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.
