mei4 si1 hyut3 gun2微絲血管微丝血管
Jyutpingmei4 si1 hyut3 gun2
Yalemèih sī hyut gún
Definition
Capillary, or any tiny visible blood vessels in non-medical contexts.
- technicalcapillary; extremely thin blood vessel connecting arterioles and venules
- tiny visible blood vessel on the skin or eyes
colloquialbodyhealth
How it's used
While this term is technically accurate for medical contexts, it is most frequently used in daily life to describe visible, thin red lines on the skin or eyes. It often carries a slightly concerned tone when someone points out that a person's eye has burst a vessel, which is a common minor health observation in Hong Kong. It is distinct from general veins, which are usually referred to as 血管.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
You have a burst capillary in your eye, are you very tired?
Related words
Common phrases
burst a capillary
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with general veins or arteries, as it specifically refers to the microscopic vessels that become visible under the skin or in the eyes. Using it to describe a large, prominent vein on one's arm would be anatomically incorrect.
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.
