mut3 bou3抹布
Jyutpingmut3 bou3
Yalemut bou
Definition
Cleaning rag; duster; a towel used for cleaning places.
colloquialhomedaily actions
How it's used
While 抹布 specifically refers to a cloth used for cleaning, people often just use 舊布 or 毛巾 to describe the same object in casual speech. It is common to repurpose old towels or worn-out clothes as rags, so the distinction between a dedicated cleaning cloth and a repurposed item is often blurred.
Measure word
faai3塊faiExamples
Take a rag and wipe the table clean.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 抹手巾, which is specifically for drying hands. Using a 抹布 to dry your hands is considered unhygienic and socially awkward.
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.
