haam4 syu1鹹書鹹书
Jyutpinghaam4 syu1
Yalehàahm syū
Definition
Pornographic book.
colloquialpeopleother
How it's used
This term is a classic example of how the character 鹹, which literally means salty, is used in Cantonese to denote anything erotic or pornographic. It is a very common, slightly cheeky way to refer to adult material without being overly clinical or vulgar. While it specifically refers to books or magazines, it is often used broadly to cover adult content in general.
Measure word
bun2本búnExamples
He always hides his porn magazines under the bed.
Did you ever read porn magazines when you were a kid?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of salty. If you describe food as 鹹, you are simply saying it is too salty, which has no sexual connotation whatsoever.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
