pik1 guk1辟穀辟谷
Jyutpingpik1 guk1
Yalepīk gūk
Definition
Inedia or breatharianism; abstaining from food and only drinking water as a religious or spiritual practice.
neutralhealthother
How it's used
This term is rooted in Taoist traditions and is specifically associated with spiritual or ascetic practices rather than modern dieting. It implies a complete cessation of grain consumption, which distinguishes it from simple fasting or calorie restriction. People rarely use this in casual conversation unless discussing alternative health trends or religious retreats.
Examples
He recently went deep into the mountains for inedia, saying he wants to cleanse his digestive system.
Have you heard of inedia? I heard it is very hard to stick with.
Related words
Common phrases
practicing inedia for spiritual cultivation
method of inedia
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simple dieting or fasting, as it carries a strong connotation of spiritual discipline or mystical practice. Using it to describe skipping a meal for weight loss will sound overly dramatic or bizarre to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
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- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
