min4 faa1 paang5棉花棒
Jyutpingmin4 faa1 paang5
Yalemìhn fā páahng
Definition
Cotton swab or cotton bud, typically used for cleaning or applying medicine.
colloquialhealthhome
How it's used
People often use this term when discussing personal hygiene or minor first aid. It is the standard name for the item found in every pharmacy or bathroom cabinet in Hong Kong. While it is a compound noun, it is treated as a single object and always takes the classifier 枝.
Measure word
zi1枝jīExamples
Could you please pass me a cotton swab?
He uses a cotton swab to clean the cat's ears.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 牙籤, which is a toothpick. Using a cotton swab for ear cleaning is common, but doctors frequently warn against pushing it too deep into the ear canal.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
