man1蚊
Jyutpingman1
Yalemān
Definition
Mosquito; a flying insect where the females suck blood and can transmit diseases.
Example
colloquialanimalshealth
How it's used
Cantonese speakers use the verb 針 to describe being bitten by a mosquito, which literally means to prick or inject with a needle. This reflects the sensation of the mosquito's proboscis piercing the skin. It is common to hear people complain about being 俾蚊針, emphasizing the passive experience of being targeted by the insect.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
There are so many mosquitoes in the room that I couldn't sleep all night.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mistakenly use 咬, which is the general word for bite, but 針 is the specific and natural term for a mosquito bite. Using 咬 is not strictly wrong but sounds less native when referring to mosquitoes.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
