liu1 bei6 si2了鼻屎
Jyutpingliu1 bei6 si2
Yalelīu beih sí
Definition
To pick one's nose.
colloquialbodydaily actions
How it's used
Describes the specific physical action of using a finger to remove mucus from the nostril. It is considered quite impolite and socially unacceptable to perform this action in public, so the term itself carries a negative or judgmental connotation.
Examples
Why are you picking your nose there?
He always likes to pick his nose, it is so gross.
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the Mandarin term 挖鼻孔. While the meaning is identical, using Mandarin phrasing in Cantonese will sound unnatural and overly formal for such a crude daily action.
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.
