keoi1 hok3軀殼躯壳
Jyutpingkeoi1 hok3
Yalekēui hok
Definition
The physical body or outer shell, especially as contrasted with the soul.
neutralbodyother
How it's used
Refers specifically to the physical body as a shell or container, often contrasting it with the spirit or mind. It carries a slightly detached or philosophical tone, implying that the true essence of a person is absent. You will rarely hear this used in casual conversation to describe someone's physical health or appearance.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Only his physical body is left here.
Do you think the physical body has any use after a person dies?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to refer to a living person's body in a medical or everyday context, as it sounds like you are describing a corpse or an empty vessel. Use 身軀 or 身體 instead for normal physical descriptions.
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.
