man1 zi1蚊螆
Jyutpingman1 zi1
Yalemān jī
Definition
Mosquito
colloquialanimalshome
How it's used
This term is the standard colloquial way to refer to mosquitoes in daily speech. While the formal written term is 蚊, adding 螆 provides a more natural, spoken feel that emphasizes the insect's presence. It is frequently used when complaining about being bitten or trying to get rid of them in the home.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
There are so many mosquitoes in the room, I've been bitten and it's so itchy.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse the pronunciation or spelling with other insect names, but remember that 蚊螆 specifically refers to the mosquito. Do not use this for other small flying insects like flies, which are 烏蠅.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).
