joek6 coi4 pou2藥材舖药材铺
Jyutpingjoek6 coi4 pou2
Yaleyeuhk chòih póu
Definition
A shop that sells traditional Chinese herbal medicine.
colloquialhealthplaces
How it's used
Locals often refer to these shops simply as 藥材舖 to distinguish them from modern pharmacies that sell Western medicine. They are distinct from 涼茶舖, which primarily serve ready-to-drink herbal teas, though some overlap in products exists. The smell inside these shops is iconic, characterized by the earthy, pungent aroma of dried roots and herbs kept in traditional wooden drawers.
Measure word
gaan1間gānExamples
I need to go to the herbal shop to buy some goji berries later.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 藥房, which is the standard term for a pharmacy that sells Western medicine, toiletries, and baby supplies. If you go to a 藥房 looking for raw medicinal herbs to boil into soup, you will likely be disappointed.
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.
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- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
