lai6癘疠
Jyutpinglai6
Yalelaih
Definition
Ulcer, sore, or pestilence.
colloquialhealthbody
How it's used
Refers specifically to a painful, open sore or ulcer on the skin or inside the mouth. While it can technically describe a pestilence in classical texts, in modern spoken Cantonese it is almost exclusively used for localized physical sores. It carries a slightly more visceral or painful connotation than just a generic bump or rash.
Measure word
nap1粒nāpExamples
He has an ulcer in his mouth and it hurts too much to eat.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 癩, which refers to skin conditions like scabies or ringworm. Learners often mistake the two because they sound similar, but 癘 is for a specific ulcerated sore while 癩 implies a broader, often itchy or contagious skin disease.
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.
