paan1 zi1 faa1攀枝花
Jyutpingpaan1 zi1 faa1
Yalepāan jī fā
Definition
Kapok tree or its flower.
neutralnature
How it's used
Known as the hero tree in local culture, the kapok is celebrated for its vibrant red blossoms that appear before the leaves emerge in spring. It is a common sight in older Hong Kong neighborhoods and parks, often associated with the transition of seasons. The fallen flowers are sometimes collected to be dried and used in traditional herbal teas to clear dampness from the body.
Measure word
po1樖pōExamples
The kapok flowers here are blooming beautifully.
Related words
Common mistake
Be careful not to confuse the tree with the city name of the same characters in mainland China. In a local context, people are almost always referring to the flower or the tree itself.
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.
