jau1貅
Jyutpingjau1
Yaleyāu
Definition
A mythical beast that brings luck and wards off evil; also used to describe a valiant soldier or a fierce warrior.
- a mythical beast with a dragon's head and a lion's body
- figurativevaliant soldier; brave and fierce
colloquialother
How it's used
Pronounced as hei1 in Cantonese, this term is almost exclusively used in the context of feng shui and traditional ornaments. It is rarely used to describe a literal animal or a person, despite the dictionary definition mentioning valiant soldiers. You will most often see these statues placed in shops or homes to attract money and protect the owner.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
They say putting a pair of pixiu at home can attract wealth.
Do you know where one can buy pixiu ornaments?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with other mythical creatures like the dragon or phoenix. Remember that this specific creature is primarily associated with wealth and financial luck rather than general auspiciousness.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
