soeng1 fung1傷風伤风
Jyutpingsoeng1 fung1
Yalesēung fūng
Definition
The common cold; an upper respiratory tract infection caused by a virus.
colloquialhealth
How it's used
Distinguishing between 傷風 and 感冒 is common in local parlance, where 傷風 usually refers to milder upper respiratory symptoms like a runny nose or sneezing. 感冒 is often reserved for more severe cases involving fever, body aches, or a general feeling of being run down. People frequently use these terms interchangeably in casual conversation, but 傷風 is the go-to word for a typical sniffle.
Examples
I think I have a cold, my throat feels very uncomfortable.
How long have you had a cold? Have you seen a doctor?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often confuse 傷風 with the Mandarin usage of 感冒, which covers both conditions. In Hong Kong, if you tell someone you have 感冒, they might assume you are quite sick with a fever, whereas 傷風 implies a lighter, more manageable illness.
Grammar color guide
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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.
