ngai4貎
Jyutpingngai4
Yalengàih
Definition
A wild beast; a lion or legendary feline creature.
writtenanimalsdescriptions
How it's used
The character 貎 is traditionally a variant of 貌, meaning appearance or facial features, and is rarely used to mean wild beast in modern Cantonese. Most native speakers will not recognize it as a noun for an animal, as 猛獸 is the standard term for a wild beast or predator. Using 貎 to refer to an animal is likely to cause confusion or be perceived as a typo.
Related words
Common phrases
wild beast
Common mistake
Do not use 貎 to describe animals, as it is almost exclusively associated with the word 容貌 for facial appearance. If you intend to write about a lion or a wild beast, stick to 獅子 or 猛獸 to avoid being misunderstood.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
