laam5 gok3欖角榄角

Jyutpinglaam5 gok3

Yaleláahm gok

Definition

Salted black olives, a Chinese culinary ingredient made from the cured fruit of the Chinese olive tree.

colloquialfood

How it's used

This ingredient is a staple in traditional Cantonese home cooking, prized for its intense, salty, and savory profile. It is almost exclusively used as a seasoning or condiment rather than eaten on its own, often paired with fatty meats or fish to cut through the richness. The texture is firm and chewy, and it is usually chopped finely before being steamed or stir-fried to release its aroma.

Measure word

nap1粒nāp

Examples

le1呢dip2碟zing1蒸paai4排gwat1骨gaa1加zo2咗di1啲laam2欖gok3角，hou2好je5惹mei2味aa4呀。

This plate of steamed pork ribs has some black olives added, it's very flavorful.

nei5你zung1鍾m4唔zung1鍾ji3意sik6食laam2欖gok3角zing1蒸jyu2魚㗎？

Do you like eating steamed fish with black olives?

Common phrases

laam2欖gok3角zing1蒸paai4排gwat1骨

steamed pork ribs with black olives

laam2欖gok3角zing1蒸jyu2魚

steamed fish with black olives

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with the green olives found in Western salads, which have a completely different flavor profile and culinary application. Using Western-style olives in a dish calling for 欖角 will result in a very strange and unauthentic taste.