suk1粟
Jyutpingsuk1
Yalesūk
Definition
Maize, corn, or grain; also goosebumps.
- maize; corn
- literarygrain; millet
- goosebumps; goose pimples
colloquialfoodbody
How it's used
While 粟 can refer to grain in formal or literary contexts, it is rarely used as a standalone noun in daily speech. It is almost exclusively encountered as part of the compound 粟米 for corn or maize. When describing goose pimples, it is common to say 起粟 or 起粟米.
Examples
How much corn did you buy to bring home?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 粟米, which is the standard word for corn. Using 粟 alone to mean corn will sound unnatural or archaic to most native speakers.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
