liu4獠
Jyutpingliu4
Yalelìuh
Definition
Fierce, wicked, or ugly; also a historical name for certain ethnic minority groups in southern China.
- fierce; wicked; ugly
- historicala historical name for certain ethnic groups in southern China
colloquialpeopledescriptions
How it's used
Primarily used in spoken Cantonese to describe someone with a menacing, aggressive, or intimidating appearance. It carries a strong sense of hostility and is rarely used in formal writing. You will mostly hear it when warning someone about a person who looks like they might cause trouble.
Examples
He looks very fierce, don't go near him.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 撩, which means to provoke or poke. While they may sound similar to some, 獠 specifically refers to a fierce or wicked appearance, whereas 撩 is a verb describing an action.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
