How to Say "Arm" in Cantonese

手臂

sau² bei³

The Cantonese word for "arm" is 手臂 (sau² bei³).

手臂 refers to the upper appendage from shoulder to wrist (noun).

Meaning: upper appendage from shoulder to wrist (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The word is composed of 手, meaning "hand" and 臂, meaning "arm".

手臂 is widely used in Hong Kong and Macau, as well as by overseas Cantonese communities.

sau² bei³

To describe someone as a 'right-hand man' or trusted assistant, Cantonese speakers use the phrase 心腹, which literally means 'heart and belly' instead of referring to the arm.
The word 手 is used in the term 手信 to mean 'souvenir', literally translating to 'hand gift'.
Cantonese uses the term 手 to describe someone's skill or specialty, such as calling a great cook a 'good 'hand' 好手.

我未喺我個書房入面五分鐘，個女僕就入嚟話有個人想見我。令我驚訝嘅係，呢本書並唔係其他人，而係我個奇怪嘅舊書收藏家，佢個鋒利、皺紋嘅臉從一條白髮框度望出嚟，而佢啲珍貴嘅書，至少有十幾本，楔喺佢右手臂下面。
I had not been in my study five minutes when the maid entered to say that a person desired to see me. To my astonishment it was none other than my strange old book collector, his sharp, wizened face peering out from a frame of white hair, and his precious volumes, a dozen of them at least, wedged under his right arm.
This sentence shows the word 手臂 being used to describe books being held under a person's right arm.
Tatoeba #13497049 by Davidgo5867, translation #7432135 by Hybrid
佢隻手臂好長。
keoi5 zek3 sau2 bei3 hou2 coeng4.
His arm is very long.

Two friends are at a gym observing people.

俊傑 Chun Kit

你睇下嗰個男仔，佢隻手臂好壯。
nei5 tai2 haa5 go2 go3 naam4 zaai2, keoi5 zek3 sau2 bei3 hou2 zoeng6.
Look at that boy, his arm is very muscular.
嘉欣 Ka Yan

係呀，佢應該係做咗好耐運動。
hai6 aa3, keoi5 jing1 goi1 hai6 zou6 zo2 hou2 noi6 wan6 dung6.
Yes, he must have been exercising for a long time.
俊傑 Chun Kit

佢個手臂肌肉好明顯。
keoi5 go3 sau2 bei3 gei1 juk6 hou2 ming4 jin4.
His arm muscles are very obvious.
嘉欣 Ka Yan

真係好犀利。
zan1 hai6 hou2 sei1 lei6.
It's really impressive.

Sources

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