nou5 jim4腦炎脑炎
Jyutpingnou5 jim4
Yalenóuh yìhm
Definition
Encephalitis or cerebritis; an acute inflammation of the brain usually caused by a viral infection.
neutralhealth
How it's used
Medical terminology in Cantonese often follows the same structure as formal written Chinese, but speakers will frequently add colloquial particles like 呀 or 喇 to soften the tone when discussing health concerns. While it is a specific clinical diagnosis, it is commonly used in casual conversation when someone is speculating about the cause of severe symptoms like high fever and confusion.
Examples
He has such a high fever, could it be encephalitis?
The doctor said his encephalitis has improved a lot.
Related words
Common phrases
to contract encephalitis
complications of encephalitis
Common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse 腦炎 with general terms for headaches or migraines, but it refers specifically to a serious, life-threatening inflammation of the brain tissue that requires immediate medical attention.
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.
