saang1 wu1 gai1生烏雞生乌鸡
Jyutpingsaang1 wu1 gai1
Yalesāang wū gāi
Definition
To develop black spots of mildew or mould on clothing.
colloquialclothinghome
How it's used
Describes the specific appearance of small, dark, moldy spots that appear on fabric due to humidity or poor storage. It is a vivid, descriptive term that focuses on the visual resemblance of these spots to the dark feathers or skin of a black-boned chicken. It is almost exclusively used for clothing or textiles rather than food or other surfaces.
Examples
The shirt has been left for too long and has grown mildew spots.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal black-boned chicken used in cooking, which is also called 烏雞. Context is key, as the verb 生 makes it clear you are talking about mold on fabric rather than an ingredient.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
