zoek3 dau3雀竇雀窦
Jyutpingzoek3 dau3
Yalejeuk dau
Definition
Bird's nest.
colloquialanimalshome
How it's used
While 雀竇 literally refers to a bird's nest, it is frequently used as a metaphor for a messy or chaotic room, similar to the English expression 'bird's nest' for unkempt hair. It carries a slightly humorous or critical tone when describing a person's living space. Unlike the more formal 鳥巢, 雀竇 is the standard term in everyday spoken Cantonese.
Measure word
go3個goRelated words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 燕窩, which specifically refers to the edible bird's nest used in soup or traditional medicine. 雀竇 is strictly for the biological home of a bird.
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.
