toi1苔
Jyutpingtoi1
Yaletōi
Definition
Moss; also refers to a coating on the tongue.
- moss
- tongue coating; fur on the tongue
neutralnaturehealth
How it's used
Beyond the botanical sense of moss, this character is frequently used in medical contexts to describe the coating on the tongue. In traditional Chinese medicine, the appearance of this coating is a key indicator of internal health. You will rarely hear it used alone in daily speech, as it almost always appears in compound words like 青苔 or 舌苔.
Examples
The rocks here are covered in moss, they are very slippery.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse the botanical meaning of moss with the general term for green algae, which is usually referred to as 水藻 or 藻類.
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.
