naau4猱
Jyutpingnaau4
Yalenàauh
Definition
A macaque, or to scratch.
- technicalmacaque
- to scratch
writtenanimalsdaily actions
How it's used
While 猱 is technically the correct term for a macaque, it is almost never used in daily speech. Most Hong Kongers will use 猴子 or 馬騮 instead. The verb sense of scratching is also literary, as people prefer to use 抓 or 搔 in casual conversation.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
The macaque at the zoo seems very unhappy.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this word in casual conversation as it will sound extremely archaic or like you are reading from a classical text. Stick to 馬騮 for the animal and 抓 for the action of scratching.
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.
