ngau4 jau4牛油
Jyutpingngau4 jau4
Yalengàuh yàuh
Definition
Butter.
colloquialfood
How it's used
Refers specifically to dairy butter, whereas vegetable based spreads are often called 植物牛油. It is almost exclusively used in the context of cooking or spreading on bread, and you will rarely hear it used metaphorically.
Measure word
hap6盒haphExamples
This butter is very fragrant, it's perfect for pan-frying steak.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 牛油果, which is the Cantonese term for avocado. Despite the shared characters, they are completely different food items.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- 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.
