gap3蛤
Jyutpinggap3
Yalegap
Definition
Clam or toad; a generic term for various bivalve mollusks or certain amphibians.
- clam or other bivalve mollusk
- toad or frog
colloquialfood
How it's used
While 蛤 is technically a character for clam, it is rarely used in daily speech to refer to the shellfish itself. Most people in Hong Kong prefer using 蜆 to describe the common small clams found in local markets or restaurants. Using 蛤 might sound slightly literary or specific to certain regional dialects rather than standard Cantonese.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
The clams here are very fresh.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 蛤蜊, which is a common term in Mandarin but sounds foreign or bookish in a Cantonese context. Stick to 蜆 for everyday food discussions.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
