hau2 saau3口哨
Jyutpinghau2 saau3
Yaleháu saau
Definition
A whistle; a high-pitched sound made by blowing air through puckered lips without vibrating the vocal cords.
colloquialdaily actionsbody
How it's used
The term is primarily used as a noun, but it is almost exclusively paired with the verb 吹 to describe the action of whistling. When people want to describe the sound itself, they often just use the verb phrase rather than treating the noun as an independent entity. It is a common way to express lightheartedness or to get someone's attention in a casual setting.
Measure word
sing1聲sīngExamples
He really likes to whistle on the street.
Do you know how to whistle?
Related words
Common phrases
to whistle
Common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse the noun 口哨 with the action of whistling itself. Remember that while 口哨 refers to the sound or the act, you must use the verb 吹 to make the sentence grammatically complete.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
