po4 zai2 gai3婆仔髻
Jyutpingpo4 zai2 gai3
Yalepòh jái gai
Definition
A traditional hair bun worn by elderly women.
colloquialpeoplebody
How it's used
Refers specifically to the tight, low bun traditionally worn by older women in Cantonese culture. It carries a slightly nostalgic or old-fashioned connotation, often associated with the image of grandmothers or elderly domestic helpers from a past generation. Using it to describe a modern, stylish bun might sound humorous or slightly disrespectful depending on the context.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a modern high bun or a messy bun, as it specifically implies the traditional, neat, and low-positioned style worn by elderly women.
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.
