jyun4 bui3元貝元贝

Jyutpingjyun4 bui3

Yaleyùhn bui

名詞

Definition

Scallop adductor muscle, dried or fresh, sold as seafood.

colloquialfooddim sum

How it's used

元貝 specifically refers to the dried or fresh adductor muscle of the scallop, which is a prized ingredient in Cantonese cuisine for its umami flavor. While often confused with 帶子, which typically refers to the larger, fleshy scallop meat found in Western-style cooking, 元貝 is most commonly encountered in its dried form for making soups or congee. It is considered a luxury item, often served during festive meals or at banquets.

Measure word

nap1粒nāp

Examples

gam1今maan5晚zing1蒸jyun4元bui3貝，nei5你maai5買zo2咗mei6未aa4呀？

We are steaming scallops tonight, have you bought them yet?

ni1呢di1啲jyun4元bui3貝hou2好sin1鮮tim4甜，m4唔sai2使dim2點tiu4調mei6味。

These scallop muscles are very fresh and sweet, no need for much seasoning.

Common phrases

zing1蒸jyun4元bui3貝

steamed scallop muscle

jyun4元bui3貝zuk1粥

scallop muscle congee

Common mistake

Learners often confuse 元貝 with 帶子. While both are related to scallops, 元貝 is almost exclusively used to describe the dried adductor muscle used in traditional Chinese cooking, whereas 帶子 is the general term for the scallop meat itself.