soeng1 si1 zi2相思子
Jyutpingsoeng1 si1 zi2
Yalesēung sī jí
Definition
The highly toxic seed of the rosary pea plant, used in bead-making and traditional medicine.
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How it's used
Refers specifically to the bright red seeds of the Abrus precatorius plant, which are often used in jewelry or ornaments. While they are visually striking, they contain the potent toxin abrin, making them extremely dangerous if ingested or if the seed coat is broken. In local culture, they are sometimes associated with the concept of longing or love due to the name, but this is strictly a botanical and cautionary context.
Measure word
nap1粒nāpExamples
This type of jequirity bean is very pretty, but it is poisonous.
Do you know that the jequirity bean is actually highly toxic?
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not confuse these with red beans used in cooking, as the visual similarity can be fatal if someone mistakenly uses them in a dessert.
Grammar color guide
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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).



