long4稂

Jyutpinglong4

Yalelòhng

Definition

Wolf's-tail grass, or more generally weeds and wild grass.

writtennature

How it's used

This character is rarely used in modern spoken Cantonese and is primarily encountered in literary contexts or specific agricultural discussions. It is often associated with the idiom 良莠不齊, where it represents the bad or inferior elements among the good. Most native speakers would simply use 草 to refer to weeds or wild grasses in daily life.

Measure word

po1樖pō

Examples

tin4田jap6入min6面saang1生zo2咗hou2好do1多long4稂aa4呀。

There is a lot of wolf's-tail grass growing in the field.

nei5你gin3見m4唔gin3見dou3到go2嗰di1啲long4稂？

Do you see those wolf's-tail grasses?

Common phrases

loeng4良jau5莠bat1不cai4齊

a mixture of good and bad

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for common grass terms, but it is highly specific to certain types of weeds. Do not use it as a general term for grass or lawn, as it will sound archaic or confusing to local listeners.