sau3 gwat1 jyu4 caai4 bou1 luk1 zuk1瘦骨如柴煲碌竹
Jyutpingsau3 gwat1 jyu4 caai4 bou1 luk1 zuk1
Yalesau gwāt yùh chàaih bōu lūk jūk
Definition
Extremely thin; as thin as a stick or a matchstick.
colloquialbodydescriptions
How it's used
This is a colorful, idiomatic way to describe someone who is painfully or unhealthily thin. It combines two distinct metaphors for thinness, 瘦骨如柴 and 煲碌竹, into one emphatic expression. It is often used with the particle 咁 to emphasize the extreme degree of the person's physical state.
Examples
He is as thin as a stick, he really needs to eat more.
Related words
Common phrases
as thin as a stick
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe someone who is merely slim or fit, as it carries a strong connotation of being frail or lacking muscle mass. It is a blunt observation that can sound rude or insensitive if directed at someone who is self-conscious about their weight.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
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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.
