saam1 se4三蛇
Jyutpingsaam1 se4
Yalesāam sèh
Definition
The three main snake species used as ingredients in snake stew: the banded krait, Chinese cobra, and Chinese rat snake.
colloquialfoodhealth
How it's used
Refers specifically to the culinary combination of three distinct snake species used in traditional Cantonese snake soup. It is rarely used outside of the context of ordering or discussing the quality of snake dishes. The term implies a premium or authentic preparation, as these specific snakes are prized for their texture and medicinal properties.
Examples
This shop's three-snake stew is very generous with the ingredients.
Related words
Common phrases
three-snake soup
Common mistake
Do not mistake this for a literal count of three snakes in a bowl, as it is a set culinary term for the specific blend of ingredients rather than a quantity.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- 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).



