jyu4漁渔
Jyutpingjyu4
Yaleyùh
Definition
Related to fishing, fishery, or making a living by catching and breeding fish.
neutralfoodpeople
How it's used
This character functions primarily as a bound morpheme in Cantonese, meaning it rarely stands alone as a complete word in modern speech. It is almost exclusively used in compound nouns related to the fishing industry or the lifestyle of those who work on the water. When referring to the act of fishing itself, speakers typically prefer the verb phrase 釣魚 or 捕魚.
Examples
There are many fishing boats anchored in this bay.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 漁 as a standalone verb for fishing, but it is strictly a noun-forming component in this context. Always use 釣魚 or 捕魚 when describing the action of catching fish.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
