juk6 tai2玉體玉体
Jyutpingjuk6 tai2
Yaleyuhk tái
Definition
A respectful term for someone's body, or a literary term referring to the delicate body of a beautiful woman.
- a respectful term to refer to someone's body
- literarythe fine and delicate body of a beautiful woman
colloquialbodypeople
How it's used
This term is inherently formal or literary, often used with a touch of irony or playfulness in modern Cantonese. It is rarely used in serious, everyday conversation unless the speaker is intentionally being overly polite or sarcastic. It is most commonly found in period dramas or when someone is jokingly feigning illness to avoid a task.
Examples
It is so cold, you must take care of your health.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to refer to your own body, as it sounds extremely arrogant or bizarrely archaic. It is strictly reserved for referring to others, usually in a mock-respectful manner.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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.
