肚屙
tou⁵ o¹
The English word "diarrhea" is translated into Cantonese as 肚屙 (tou⁵ o¹).
This term refers to the medical condition of diarrhea.
Meaning: medical condition (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 肚屙 is the colloquial term, 肚瀉 is also used colloquially. For more formal or medical contexts, you may see the terms 腹瀉 or 腹泻. Additionally, 拉肚子 serves as an informal way to express the same condition.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
肚屙 is the colloquial way to express the condition. For a formal medical context, use 腹瀉 or 腹泻. 拉肚子 is considered an informal option.
How do you pronounce it?
tou⁵ o¹
Did you know?
- People in Hong Kong and Guangdong may describe the cause of 肚屙 as 'eating cold things' 食凍嘢, which includes not just temperature but raw foods.
- The colloquial term 肚屙 literally translates to 'belly shits', which makes it much more graphic than the English medical term.
- In Cantonese, the character used in 肚屙 (屙) is often considered quite vulgar and is generally avoided in polite conversation or in front of elders.
Examples in context
- 我覺得唔舒服，而且肚瀉，所以決定去搵醫生。I was feeling unwell and had diarrhea, so I decided to consult a doctor.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “diarrhea” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
