seoi2 ngau4水牛
Jyutpingseoi2 ngau4
Yaleséui ngàuh
Definition
Water buffalo.
colloquialanimals
How it's used
Refers specifically to the large, dark-skinned bovine traditionally used for plowing rice paddies in Southern China. Unlike regular cattle, these animals have a distinct habit of wallowing in mud or water to regulate their body temperature due to their sparse coat and lack of sweat glands.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
The farmer took the water buffalo to plow the field.
Have you ever seen a water buffalo soaking in the water?
Related words
Common phrases
buffalo horn
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the term 水魚, which is a slang term for a person who is easily cheated or overcharged, rather than the animal itself.
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.
