hau2 fuk1口腹
Jyutpinghau2 fuk1
Yaleháu fūk
Definition
Appetite and desire for food; mouth and stomach.
writtenfoodbody
How it's used
Refers specifically to the desire for food or the physical sensation of hunger rather than the organ itself. It is almost exclusively used in the set phrase 口腹之慾, which describes a strong craving or desire for tasty food. Using it outside of this literary-leaning idiom sounds unnatural in daily speech.
Examples
His appetite has been very strong lately, he always wants to eat.
To satisfy his appetite, he went all the way to a distant place to find food.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to refer to the physical stomach organ; use 肚 instead. Learners often mistake it for a common noun for hunger, but it carries a slightly formal or literary tone that does not fit casual conversation about being hungry.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
