jeon6膶
Jyutpingjeon6
Yaleyeuhn
Definition
Animal liver as food, used as a homophonic euphemism to avoid the word for dry.
colloquialfood
How it's used
The character 膶 is a classic example of linguistic taboo in Cantonese culture. Because the word for liver sounds identical to the word for dry, which is considered an unlucky omen for farmers dependent on rain, the character was invented by replacing the water radical in the word for moist with the meat radical. It is now the standard way to refer to any animal liver intended for consumption.
Measure word
faai3塊faiExamples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners should avoid using the character 肝 when referring to food, as it is primarily used in medical or anatomical contexts. Always use 膶 when talking about ingredients or dishes.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
