jau5 zo2 tou5有咗肚
Jyutpingjau5 zo2 tou5
Yaleyáuh jó tóuh
Definition
To be pregnant
colloquialfamilyhealth
How it's used
This expression is the most common way to describe pregnancy in casual conversation. It functions as a verb phrase rather than an adjective, so it is often used with the aspect marker 咗 to indicate the state of being pregnant. It is considered polite and neutral, suitable for talking about friends or family members.
Examples
I heard she is pregnant and is preparing to get married.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this phrase in highly formal or medical contexts, where the term 懷孕 is preferred. Also, do not confuse it with having a bloated stomach from overeating, which is usually described as 肚脹.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
