sit3 tau4舌頭舌头
Jyutpingsit3 tau4
Yalesit tàuh
Definition
Tongue.
neutralbody
How it's used
While 舌頭 is understood in Cantonese as the formal or written term for tongue, it is almost never used in daily spoken language. Native speakers exclusively use 脷 in all casual contexts. Using 舌頭 in conversation sounds like you are reading from a biology textbook or a formal news report.
Measure word
tiu4條tìuhRelated words
Common mistake
Learners often use 舌頭 because it is the standard term in Mandarin, but using it in a casual conversation will make you sound unnatural. Always stick to 脷 when talking about the body part.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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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).
