gun3 tau2罐頭罐头
Jyutpinggun3 tau2
Yalegun táu
Definition
Canned goods; a vacuum-sealed can of processed food or drink.
colloquialfood
How it's used
Refers specifically to food preserved in metal containers, but it is also used metaphorically to describe things that are mass produced, unoriginal, or lacking in creativity. When someone calls a song or a film 罐頭, they mean it follows a predictable formula and lacks soul. It carries a slightly negative connotation when applied to creative works.
Measure word
gun3罐gunExamples
There are no fresh vegetables left at home, we have to eat canned food.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 罐, which refers to the container itself regardless of what is inside. 罐頭 specifically implies the contents are processed food meant for long-term storage.
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.
