seng1 cau3腥臭
Jyutpingseng1 cau3
Yalesēng chau
Definition
The stinking, fishy smell of raw meat or fish.
colloquialfooddescriptions
How it's used
Describes a specific, pungent odor associated with raw seafood or decaying organic matter. It carries a strong negative connotation and is often used to express disgust or to point out that food has gone bad. Unlike the simple term 腥, which just means fishy, adding 臭 emphasizes that the smell has become putrid or unbearable.
Examples
This fish has been sitting out for a long time, it smells really fishy and foul.
Why is there a fishy, foul smell coming from your fridge?
Related words
Common phrases
a fishy, foul stench
Common mistake
Learners often use this to describe any bad smell, but it is specifically reserved for fishy or marine-like decay. Using it to describe other types of bad smells, such as garbage or body odor, can sound unnatural or confusing to native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
