gang1羹
Jyutpinggang1
Yalegāng
Definition
Spoon; a utensil used for scooping up liquids and fluid foods.
colloquialfoodhome
How it's used
While 羹 refers to the spoon itself, it is almost always used in the compound 匙羹 in daily speech to avoid confusion with the homophonous word for thick soup. Using 羹 alone can sound slightly formal or archaic depending on the context, so sticking to 匙羹 is the safest bet for learners. It specifically refers to the Chinese style spoon with a deep bowl, whereas Western style flat spoons are often called 鐵匙 or just 匙.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
This spoon is quite large, it is perfect for drinking soup.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse 羹 with 湯, which means soup. Learners sometimes mistakenly use 羹 to refer to the liquid dish itself, but it strictly refers to the utensil.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
