leon4 zaau2鱗爪鳞爪
Jyutpingleon4 zaau2
Yalelèuhn jáau
Definition
Bits and fragments of something; small, scattered, or isolated parts of a larger whole.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Used almost exclusively in the idiom 窺見鱗爪, which describes catching a glimpse of a larger, complex entity through its minor parts. It carries a slightly literary or formal tone despite being used in spoken Cantonese to describe incomplete knowledge or evidence. It functions as a noun phrase representing the small, visible portion of an otherwise hidden or vast subject.
Examples
This book only covers fragments of history.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe physical objects or literal animal parts. It is strictly metaphorical and reserved for abstract concepts like information, history, or someone's true character.
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.
