miu4苗
Jyutpingmiu4
Yalemìuh
Definition
Sprout or seedling; a plant that has just germinated.
neutralnature
How it's used
苗 is rarely used as a standalone noun in spoken Cantonese and is almost always part of a compound word. It carries a sense of fragility and early development, often used in agricultural or gardening contexts. When referring to a generic small plant, speakers prefer using the classifier 棵 with the noun 苗.
Measure word
fo2棵fóExamples
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 苗 with 芽, but 芽 specifically refers to the bud or the very first sprout, whereas 苗 implies a slightly more developed seedling that has already established some roots or leaves.
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.
