lei6痢
Jyutpinglei6
Yaleleih
Definition
Dysentery; a type of gastroenteritis that results in diarrhea with blood.
writtenhealth
How it's used
痢 is a formal medical term that is rarely used in casual daily conversation. Most people prefer to use the colloquial term 肚痾 or 痾嘔 when describing stomach issues or food poisoning. Using 痢 in a social setting can sound overly clinical or alarmist.
Examples
He has severe diarrhea, it's like he caught dysentery.
This type of bacteria can cause dysentery, you need to be careful.
Related words
Common phrases
dysentery
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 痢 with the common verb 痾. While 痾 is the everyday action of having diarrhea, 痢 refers specifically to the infectious disease dysentery and is not used as a verb.
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.
