wu1 zou1 je5污糟嘢
Jyutpingwu1 zou1 je5
Yalewū jōu yéh
Definition
Ghosts or supernatural spirits; literally, dirty stuff.
colloquialother
How it's used
Using this term is a way to avoid directly saying 鬼, which is often considered taboo or potentially inviting bad luck. It functions as a vague, cautious label for any unexplained or eerie phenomenon. People often use it when they feel uncomfortable in a place but do not want to explicitly name a spirit.
Measure word
di1啲dīExamples
This house seems to have some supernatural presence.
Don't go there at night, I'm afraid there are ghosts.
Related words
Common phrases
to encounter a supernatural being
to attract or be bothered by spirits
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe literal dirt or filth, as that would be confusing and potentially offensive. For actual physical mess, use 污糟 instead.
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.
