gaai3 hau2戒口
Jyutpinggaai3 hau2
Yalegaai háu
Definition
To abstain from eating certain foods, especially due to health or medical reasons.
colloquialfoodhealth
How it's used
Refers specifically to the practice of avoiding certain foods or drinks to recover from illness or manage a chronic condition. It implies a temporary period of restriction rather than a permanent dietary choice like being a vegetarian. People often use it when discussing traditional Chinese medicine or post-surgery recovery.
Examples
The doctor told me to abstain from certain foods lately and not eat too much spicy food.
Your skin is sensitive, you need to avoid certain foods for a while, you know?
Related words
Common phrases
abstain from eating
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with simply dieting to lose weight. It is strictly for health-related avoidance of specific triggers, not for calorie restriction.
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.
