hon4 loeng4寒涼寒凉
Jyutpinghon4 loeng4
Yalehòhn lèuhng
Definition
Having a cold or cool nature, as a Chinese medicine classification for food, medicine, or body constitution.
colloquialfoodhealth
How it's used
Categorizing food as either hot or cold is a fundamental aspect of traditional dietary habits in Hong Kong. People often avoid foods labeled as cold when they are recovering from illness or feeling physically weak. It is common to balance out cold foods by adding warming ingredients like ginger during the cooking process.
Examples
This herbal tea is very 'cold' in nature; will you get a stomachache after drinking it?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the simple sensation of cold temperature. A dish can be served piping hot and still be considered寒涼 if its medicinal properties are cooling, such as bitter melon soup.
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.
