saang1 ngau1 ngau1生勾勾

Jyutpingsaang1 ngau1 ngau1

Yalesāang ngāu ngāu

形容詞

Definition

Raw or uncooked food; also used to describe a living creature that is alive and kicking.

raw; uncooked (usually of food)
alive; living; still breathing (of a creature)

colloquialfoodanimals

How it's used

Emphasizes a state of rawness or being alive with a vivid, slightly informal tone. It is frequently used to express shock or dissatisfaction when food is served undercooked, or to describe animals that are still moving or struggling. The reduplication adds a sense of immediacy and visual impact that the simple word 生 lacks.

Examples

le1呢faai3塊ngau4牛paa2扒saang1生ngau1勾ngau1勾，nei5你bong1幫ngo5我ling1拎heoi3去zin1煎do1多zan6陣laa1啦。

This steak is still raw, please take it back and fry it a bit more.

keoi5佢zuk1捉zyu6住zek3隻saang1生ngau1勾ngau1勾ge3嘅haai5蟹，haak3嚇dou3到daai6大giu3叫aa4呀。

She caught a live crab and screamed in fear.

Common phrases

saang1生ngau1勾ngau1勾ge3嘅juk6肉

raw meat

saang1生ngau1勾ngau1勾ge3嘅hoi2海sin1鮮

live seafood

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with the Mandarin term 生勾勾 which can sometimes imply a different nuance or be considered non-standard; in Cantonese, it is a very common and natural way to describe something that is distinctly raw or still alive.