tang4 tiu2藤條藤条

Jyutpingtang4 tiu2

Yaletàhng tíu

名詞Uncommon

Definition

Rattan cane or stick used for dusting, reaching things, or corporal punishment.

colloquialfamilyother

How it's used

Historically, this item was a staple tool for corporal punishment in many Hong Kong households. The phrase 藤條炆豬肉 is a common idiomatic expression that humorously or threateningly refers to being beaten with one, likening the welts on the skin to a pork dish. While its use as a disciplinary tool has declined significantly, the term remains deeply embedded in local cultural memory.

Measure word

tiu4條tìuh

Examples

ji5以cin4前sai3細go3個jai5曳，aa3阿maa5媽seng4成jat6日lo2攞tang4藤tiu2條daa2打ngo5我。

When I was naughty as a kid, my mom would often use a rattan stick to hit me.

Common phrases

tang4藤tiu2條man1炆zyu1豬juk6肉

a beating with a rattan stick

lo2攞tang4藤tiu2條

to fetch a rattan stick

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with a standard wooden stick or ruler, as the specific material and flexibility of the rattan are essential to its cultural connotation of a stinging, painful punishment.