hoi2 maa5海馬海马
Jyutpinghoi2 maa5
Yalehói máh
Definition
Seahorse; a type of fish with a curved tail and a pointed snout.
colloquialanimals
How it's used
While the name contains the character for horse, it is strictly classified as a fish in both biological and common parlance. It is frequently encountered in the context of traditional Chinese medicine shops where dried specimens are sold for health tonics, rather than just as a marine animal.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
I saw a seahorse swimming very slowly at the aquarium.
Related words
Common phrases
dried seahorse
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use the measure word 條 because it is a fish, but the standard and most natural measure word for a seahorse is 隻.
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.
