hoeng1 gai1香笄
Jyutpinghoeng1 gai1
Yalehēung gāi
Definition
The leftover stick of a burnt incense stick.
colloquialhomeother
How it's used
Refers specifically to the thin, often bamboo, core that remains after the incense coating has burned away. It is a common household term in families that maintain a traditional altar, though it is rarely used outside of that context.
Measure word
zi1枝jīExamples
The incense sticks in the burner need to be cleared out.
Do you see a few incense sticks here?
Related words
Common phrases
to clear out the incense sticks
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 香雞, which is a slang term used to describe someone with very thin legs, comparing them to the stick itself.
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.
