wu1 caak6烏賊乌贼
Jyutpingwu1 caak6
Yalewū chaahk
Definition
Cuttlefish or squid; decapodiform marine molluscs with ten arms that can eject ink.
neutralanimalsfood
How it's used
While 烏賊 is the biological term for the order Decapodiformes, it is rarely used in daily life when ordering food or shopping at a wet market. Locals almost exclusively use 墨魚 for cuttlefish or 魷魚 for squid. Using 烏賊 in a casual conversation might sound like you are reading from a science textbook.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
Do you know the difference between a cuttlefish and a squid?
Related words
Common phrases
to spray ink
Common mistake
Do not use 烏賊 to refer to an octopus, which is called 八爪魚. Confusing the two is a common mistake because both are cephalopods that can release ink.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- 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.
