paak3 jau4柏油
Jyutpingpaak3 jau4
Yalepaak yàuh
Definition
Coal tar, or colloquially bitumen and asphalt used in road paving.
- technicalcoal tar
- bitumen; asphalt used for paving roads
colloquialtransportplaces
How it's used
Although technically referring to coal tar, this term is almost exclusively used in daily life to describe the black asphalt surfaces of roads. It functions as a common, colloquial label for road pavement, while the more accurate term 瀝青 is typically reserved for technical or construction contexts. You will rarely hear a local use the precise chemical term in casual conversation.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
This asphalt road looks like it was just paved.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not use this word to describe the actual substance used in modern road construction, as it is technically incorrect; use 瀝青 instead if you are discussing materials or engineering.
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.
