zi1螆

Jyutpingzi1

Yalejī

Definition

Hairy caterpillars, tiny mosquitoes, or parasites.

hairy and poisonous caterpillar
a tiny mosquito
a parasite

colloquialanimalsnature

How it's used

Refers broadly to small, irritating, or harmful crawling insects, often specifically caterpillars or tiny biting pests. It carries a strong sense of disgust or nuisance, making it an effective way to describe an infestation of unidentifiable small bugs. While it can refer to caterpillars, it is also frequently used as a general term for any tiny, annoying insect that might be crawling on surfaces or biting.

Measure word

zek3隻jek

Examples

syu6樹soeng6上min6面hou2好do1多zi1螆，cin1千kei4祈m4唔hou2好dim3掂aa4呀。

There are many caterpillars on the tree, please do not touch them.

gaan3間fong2房gam3咁do1多zi1螆，dim2點joeng2樣fan3瞓gaau3覺aa4呀？

There are so many tiny bugs in the room, how am I supposed to sleep?

Related words

see alsocung4蟲chùnghsee alsoman1蚊mān

Common phrases

saang1生zi1螆

to be infested with small bugs

zi1螆laa2乸

a mother caterpillar or a large specimen

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with 蚊, which specifically refers to standard mosquitoes. 螆 is used for smaller, often crawling pests or larvae that cause skin irritation, whereas 蚊 is reserved for the flying insect that makes a buzzing sound.