wai6 fo2胃火
Jyutpingwai6 fo2
Yalewaih fó
Definition
A person's appetite or stomach's ability to digest.
colloquialhealthfood
How it's used
Refers specifically to the traditional Chinese medicine concept of excess heat in the stomach, which manifests as an insatiable appetite or rapid digestion. While it describes a physiological state, it is frequently used in casual conversation to explain why someone is eating an unusually large amount of food. It carries a slightly medical undertone but is common enough to be used when teasing friends about their hunger.
Examples
His appetite has been very strong lately, he feels hungry all the time.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with simply being hungry or having a big appetite, as it implies a specific internal imbalance. Using it to describe a normal healthy appetite can sound like you are diagnosing the person with a medical condition.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
