seoi2 zat6水蛭
Jyutpingseoi2 zat6
Yaleséui jaht
Definition
Leech.
colloquialanimals
How it's used
People in Hong Kong rarely encounter this creature in daily urban life, so it is mostly discussed in the context of hiking or rural exploration. While the scientific name is 螞蟥, locals almost exclusively use 水蛭 to refer to the animal. It carries a slightly visceral or unpleasant connotation due to its parasitic nature.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
There are many leeches in the ditch.
Related words
Common phrases
leech bite
Common mistake
Learners often confuse this with 蛭, which is a literary character rarely used in spoken Cantonese. Always use the full term 水蛭 to ensure you are understood.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
