蜆
hin2
The Cantonese word for clams is 蜆 (hin2).
The term refers to edible saltwater mollusks with two shells.
How do you pronounce it?
hin2
Did you know?
- While 蜆 refers to the animal, the character's radical on the left is 貝, which is the ancient symbol for 'shell' and was originally used to denote currency in early Chinese history.
- When ordering clams in a restaurant, if you use the word 蜆 in a soup, you might be served them specifically to help with 'heatiness', a traditional Chinese concept of balancing body temperature.
- When ordering 蜆 in a Hong Kong seafood market, you will often see them sold by the 'catty' 斤, an ancient unit of weight that is roughly 600 grams rather than a standard kilogram.
Examples in context
- 我鐘意食啦啦粥。I like to eat congee with clams.
- 我想食蜆。ngo5 soeng2 sik6 jin6.I want to eat clams.
- 呢啲蜆好新鮮。ni1 di1 jin6 hou2 san1 sin1.These clams are very fresh.
- 超市有賣蜆。caau1 si5 jau5 maai6 jin6.The supermarket sells clams.
Example conversation
At a seafood market, a woman is asking a man to buy ingredients.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung子健，買啲蜆返去啦。zi2 gin3, maai5 di1 jin6 faan1 heoi3 laa1.Zi Gin, buy some clams to take home.
- 子健 Tsz Kin好呀，你想要咩蜆？hou2 aa3, nei5 soeng2 jiu3 me1 jin6?Okay, what kind of clams do you want?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung買大啲嘅蜆就得。maai5 daai6 di1 ge3 jin6 zau6 dak1.Just buy the larger clams.
- 子健 Tsz Kin冇問題，我即刻去揀。mou5 man6 tai4, ngo5 zik1 hak1 heoi3 gaan2.No problem, I'll go pick them out right now.
