ngau4 mou4牛毛
Jyutpingngau4 mou4
Yalengàuh mòuh
Definition
Extremely fine, numerous, and dense like cattle hair.
- extremely fine, numerous, and dense like cattle hair
- slangtiny; minute
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
Refers to things that are extremely numerous or, conversely, incredibly small and insignificant. It functions as a vivid idiom rather than a literal description of bovine fur. It is frequently used in comparisons to emphasize an overwhelming quantity or a negligible size.
Examples
Related words
Common phrases
as numerous as cow hair
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe actual hair or fur, as it is strictly a figurative idiom for quantity or scale. It is not interchangeable with standard words for small things like 細.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
