jim4 se2簷蛇檐蛇
Jyutpingjim4 se2
Yaleyìhm sé
Definition
Gecko; a small, mostly nocturnal lizard.
colloquialanimalshome
How it's used
Commonly found in older residential buildings in Hong Kong, these small lizards are generally considered harmless but often startle people when they scurry across walls. Unlike the Mandarin term 壁虎 which sounds more scientific or formal, 簷蛇 is the standard colloquial way to refer to them in daily life. They are often associated with humid weather and are seen as natural pest controllers that eat mosquitoes and small insects.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
There is a gecko on the wall, it scared me to death.
Do you have geckos appearing in your house?
Related words
Common phrases
geckos appearing
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 蛇, which refers to snakes. Even though 簷蛇 contains the character for snake, it is a lizard, so using the word 蛇 alone to describe it will cause confusion.
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.
