zam1 ngaan5針眼针眼
Jyutpingzam1 ngaan5
Yalejām ngáahn
Definition
The eye of a needle, or a sty (hordeolum) on the eyelid.
- sty; hordeolum; a red, painful bump on the edge of the eyelid
- the eye of a needle
colloquialhealthbody
How it's used
Commonly referred to as 生眼挑針 in everyday speech, which is more frequent than the term 針眼 itself. It describes a painful, red swelling on the eyelid margin that people often associate with lack of sleep or poor hygiene. While 針眼 is understood, using 眼挑針 sounds much more natural and local to native speakers.
Measure word
nap1粒nāpExamples
I have a sty on my eye, it hurts so much.
Related words
Common phrases
to have a sty
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal eye of a needle, which is also called 針眼 in some contexts. Context usually makes it clear, but if you are talking about medical issues, people will almost always use 眼挑針 instead to avoid ambiguity.
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.
