maau4 caai4茅柴
Jyutpingmaau4 caai4
Yalemàauh chàaih
Definition
Cheap, low-quality wine or liquor.
colloquialdrink
How it's used
Originally referring to low quality, unrefined spirits, this term is now a colorful way to describe any alcoholic beverage that tastes cheap or harsh. It carries a strong sense of disdain, implying the drink is barely fit for human consumption. While it sounds slightly old fashioned, it remains a punchy way to insult a host's choice of alcohol.
Examples
This bottle of wine is so hard to drink, it's basically swill.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe food or other drinks, as it is strictly reserved for alcohol. It is also quite informal and potentially rude, so avoid using it in professional settings or when the host has put significant effort into selecting the wine.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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Classifier
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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).
