lo4 saat3羅剎罗刹
Jyutpinglo4 saat3
Yalelòh saat
Definition
An archaic name for Russia, or a demonic spirit in Hindu and Buddhist mythology.
- archaicRussia
- literaryRakshasa; a type of demon or evil spirit in Hinduism and Buddhism
datedother
How it's used
This term is an archaic transliteration that has largely fallen out of common use in modern Hong Kong Cantonese. It is primarily encountered in historical texts, old literature, or when discussing the etymology of country names. Using it in daily conversation will sound extremely formal or dated, as 俄羅斯 is the standard term for the country today.
Examples
People used to call Russia the Russian state.
Do you know that 羅剎 is actually an old term for Russia?
Related words
Common phrases
The Russian Empire or Russia
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the mythological 羅剎, which refers to a type of demon or spirit in Buddhist and Hindu traditions. The context is usually clear, but using the term for the country can cause confusion if the listener is unfamiliar with historical transliterations.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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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).
