seng1 hot3腥曷
Jyutpingseng1 hot3
Yalesēng hot
Definition
Rank and strong-smelling, especially of raw meat or fish.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
This term specifically describes a pungent, fishy, or raw meat odor that is considered unpleasant. It is distinct from general bad smells like 臭, which is a broader term for any foul stench. You will often hear it used to describe the lingering smell of seafood or wet, unwashed laundry.
Examples
This shirt has been sitting for a long time, it smells rank.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 腥, which refers specifically to the smell of fresh fish or blood. 腥曷 implies a more intense, stale, or offensive version of that smell.
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).
