wo1 kau3倭寇
Jyutpingwo1 kau3
Yalewō kau
Definition
Wokou; Japanese pirates who raided the coasts of China and Korea in the 13th to 16th centuries.
neutralpeople
How it's used
Historical accounts typically use this term to describe maritime raiders active along the coasts of China and Korea. It carries a strong negative connotation due to its association with historical conflict and invasion. Modern speakers rarely use it outside of academic or historical contexts.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
History books always talk about how Japanese pirates harassed coastal residents.
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this term to refer to contemporary Japanese people, as it is an archaic, derogatory label that can cause significant offense.
Grammar color guide
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Verb
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
