jau4揉
Jyutpingjau4
Yaleyàuh
Definition
To rub, knead, massage, or roll with the hands.
colloquialdaily actions
How it's used
While 揉 exists in written Cantonese, native speakers almost exclusively use 捽 or 搓 in daily speech. 捽 is the go to word for rubbing eyes or dirt off skin, while 搓 is preferred for kneading dough or rolling things between palms. Using 揉 in casual conversation can sound overly formal or literary.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 揉 because it appears in dictionaries, but it is rarely used in spoken Cantonese. Using 捽 or 搓 will make your speech sound much more natural.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
