gwaa1 zi2瓜籽

Jyutpinggwaa1 zi2

Yalegwā jí

Definition

Melon seeds, commonly eaten as a snack.

colloquialfoodfestival

How it's used

Often associated with Lunar New Year festivities, these seeds are a quintessential snack served to guests. While the term covers various types, it most commonly refers to the roasted seeds of watermelons or winter melons. The act of cracking them open with one's teeth is a skill many locals master from a young age.

Measure word

baau1包bāu

Examples

gwo3過nin4年uk1屋kei2企jat1一ding6定jiu3要jau5有gwaa1瓜zi2籽sik6食。

We must have melon seeds to eat at home during the Lunar New Year.

nei5你zung1鍾m4唔zung1鍾ji3意sik6食hung4紅gwaa1瓜zi2籽aa4呀？

Do you like eating red melon seeds?

Common phrases

hap6嗑gwaa1瓜zi2籽

to crack melon seeds

hung4紅gwaa1瓜zi2籽

red melon seeds

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 瓜子, which is the standard written form used in Mandarin. In Cantonese, the character 籽 is specifically used to denote the seed of a fruit or vegetable.