leoi6唳
Jyutpingleoi6
Yaleleuih
Definition
To cry loudly, specifically referring to birds like cranes or geese.
writtenanimalsdescriptions
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively encountered in the literary idiom 風聲鶴唳, which describes a state of extreme anxiety or paranoia. Outside of this specific phrase, it is rarely used in modern spoken Cantonese to describe animal sounds. Using it in casual conversation will likely sound overly dramatic or archaic to native speakers.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
to be jittery and suspicious
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 戾, which is a common character used in words like 暴戾. They share a similar shape but have completely different meanings and pronunciations.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).



