gwat1 gaau1 jyun4骨膠原骨胶原
Jyutpinggwat1 gaau1 jyun4
Yalegwāt gāau yùhn
Definition
Collagen; a major type of protein in animals that makes up skin, cartilage, and connective tissue.
colloquialbodyfood
How it's used
Commonly associated with beauty and skincare marketing in Hong Kong, where it is often touted as the secret to youthful skin. While scientifically referring to the protein, it is frequently used in casual conversation to describe the 'bounciness' or elasticity of skin. It is very common to hear people discuss eating foods like chicken feet or fish skin under the belief that they directly boost collagen levels in the body.
Examples
This skincare product claims to have a lot of collagen.
Related words
Common phrases
replenish collagen
collagen protein
Common mistake
Learners often assume that consuming collagen directly translates to skin absorption, but in Cantonese, the term is used more as a buzzword for health and beauty benefits rather than a strict biological claim.
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).
