waan1 dou1彎刀弯刀
Jyutpingwaan1 dou1
Yalewāan dōu
Definition
Scimitar, machete, or any other type of curved sword or knife.
colloquialother
How it's used
Refers specifically to blades with a distinct curve, often used for agricultural work or as historical weaponry. While it can describe various curved swords, in a modern Hong Kong context, it is most frequently associated with tools for clearing vegetation or heavy-duty cutting tasks.
Measure word
baa2把báExamples
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 刀 which is a generic term for any knife or sword. Using 彎刀 for a standard kitchen knife will sound confusing to native speakers, as they would expect a straight blade.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
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).



