lin4 zi2 jung4蓮子蓉莲子蓉
Jyutpinglin4 zi2 jung4
Yalelìhn jí yùhng
Definition
A very sweet smile; a beaming grin.
colloquialfooddescriptions
How it's used
Lotus seed paste is a classic, sugary filling in Cantonese mooncakes and buns, so comparing a smile to it emphasizes a sugary, pleasant, and warm quality. This expression is quite vivid and slightly old fashioned, often used to describe a very gentle or charming smile that makes others feel comfortable. It is more descriptive and emotive than simply saying someone has a nice smile.
Examples
Her smile is as sweet as lotus seed paste.
Seeing her sweet smile makes me feel better.
Related words
Common phrases
smiling very sweetly
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the actual food ingredient 蓮蓉, which is just the paste itself. Using it to describe a smile requires the context of sweetness or a specific comparison to make sense to the listener.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
