鰻魚 / 鳗鱼
maan⁴ jyu²
The English word for eel is 鰻魚 / 鳗鱼 (maan⁴ jyu²) in Cantonese.
鰻魚 / 鳗鱼 refers to any fish of the order Anguilliformes.
Meaning: any fish of the order Anguilliformes (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 鰻魚 / 鳗鱼 is a standard term, 鱔魚 is also used to refer to an eel. For young or small eels, the informal term 鰻魚仔 is used.
How do you pronounce it?
maan⁴ jyu²
Did you know?
- According to traditional Cantonese dietary principles, 鰻魚 is considered a 'warming' food, making it a seasonal favorite for winter soups.
- In Cantonese culture, eating 鰻魚 is frequently linked to increasing 'stamina', making it a common recommendation for energy in traditional food-health circles.
- If you see 鰻魚飯 on a menu in Hong Kong, it is not a local dish but specifically refers to the Japanese 'unadon' style of grilled eel on rice.
Examples in context
- 可唔可以俾我一盤鱔魚？Can I have a plate of eel?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eel” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
