saan1 kei4山蜞
Jyutpingsaan1 kei4
Yalesāan kèih
Definition
Leech; a blood-sucking worm found in mountainous or land areas.
colloquialanimalsnature
How it's used
Refers specifically to land leeches found in humid, forested areas of Hong Kong during the rainy season. Locals often use this term interchangeably with 螞蟥, though 螞蟥 is sometimes associated more with aquatic environments in other regions. Hikers frequently wear gaiters or tuck their trousers into socks to prevent these pests from attaching to their skin.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhExamples
Be careful when hiking, there are many leeches.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with general worms or insects, but it specifically describes a blood-sucking parasite. It is important to note that you do not pull them off forcefully if they are attached, as this can leave parts of the mouth in the wound.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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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).
