lei4 dang6釐戥厘戥
Jyutpinglei4 dang6
Yalelèih dahng
Definition
A small weighing scale used for gold, silver, or medicine; a type of dragonfly.
- a small weighing scale for gold, silver, and Chinese medicinal materials
- a type of dragonfly
colloquialdaily actionsother
How it's used
Traditionally used for high precision items like gold or expensive herbs, this tool is increasingly rare in modern households. While it also refers to a dragonfly in some regional dialects, in Hong Kong, the term is almost exclusively associated with the traditional handheld beam balance scale. It carries a sense of nostalgia and is often found in older Chinese medicine shops.
Measure word
baa2把báExamples
This scale is very old, is it still accurate?
He uses a small scale to weigh the medicinal herbs, very carefully.
Related words
Common phrases
to use a small scale
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with standard kitchen scales or digital scales, as those are referred to as 磅 or 電子磅. Using 釐戥 for modern, heavy, or digital weighing equipment sounds unnatural and outdated.
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.
