si1螄蛳
Jyutpingsi1
Yalesī
Definition
Snail with a spiral shell, or a small shellfish.
colloquialfoodanimals
How it's used
Refers specifically to small, spiral-shelled snails often found in river or mud environments. It is frequently associated with local street food culture where they are stir-fried with spices like garlic and chili. The term is distinct from the larger land snails sometimes seen in gardens.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
The snails here are very big.
Related words
Common mistake
Often confused with 螺, which is a more general term for shellfish with spiral shells. While 螄 implies a smaller, specific type of freshwater snail, 螺 is used for a much wider variety of sea and land snails.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
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.
