zoek3雀

Jyutpingzoek3

Yalejeuk

名詞Common

Definition

A small bird; any generic small avian species.

colloquialanimals

How it's used

Refers specifically to small birds, often used interchangeably with 雀仔 to sound more affectionate or casual. While it functions as a general term, it is frequently used in compound words like 麻雀 or 喜雀 to denote specific species. The pronunciation shift between zoek2 and zoek3 is a classic example of how Cantonese maintains distinct phonetic patterns based on word position.

Measure word

zek3隻jek

Examples

go2嗰zek3隻zoek3雀zai2仔hou2好dak1得ji3意aa4呀。

That little bird is so cute.

nei5你gin3見m4唔gin3見dou3到syu6樹soeng6上min6面jau5有zek3隻zoek2雀？

Do you see a bird up in the tree?

Common phrases

maa4麻zoek3雀

sparrow

zoek3雀zai2仔

little bird

Common mistake

Learners often confuse the pronunciation because of the tone change. Remember that when used as a standalone noun or at the end of a word, it must be pronounced with the second tone.