hei2 zoek3喜鵲喜鹊
Jyutpinghei2 zoek3
Yalehéi jeuk
Definition
Magpie; a medium-sized, long-tailed, black-and-white omnivorous bird.
neutralanimals
How it's used
Magpies are culturally significant in Chinese tradition as symbols of good luck and auspicious news. People often associate their morning calls with the arrival of a guest or a happy event. While the term is standard, you will rarely hear it in casual city life unless you are birdwatching or discussing folklore.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
That magpie is chirping up in the tree.
Have you seen any magpies today?
Related words
Common phrases
a magpie bringing good news
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.
