min4 faa1棉花
Jyutpingmin4 faa1
Yalemìhn fā
Definition
Cotton, the natural seed fiber used to make cloth, clothing, and medical supplies.
colloquialclothingdaily actions
How it's used
棉花 refers specifically to the raw, fluffy fiber harvested from the plant. Once it is processed into fabric or clothing, speakers almost exclusively use the shortened form 棉 or 棉布. Using 棉花 to describe a finished garment can sound slightly awkward, as if you are wearing the raw, unspun material.
Measure word
gau6嚿gauhExamples
Please buy a box of cotton for me to take home.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse 棉花 with the English word cotton wool used for medical purposes, which is often just called 棉花 in Hong Kong. Learners sometimes try to use the Mandarin term 脫脂棉, but locals simply use 棉花 or 棉花球.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
