腿
teoi²
The Cantonese word for leg is 腿 (teoi²). Wiktionary also lists 髀 (bei²) and 腳 / 脚 (goek³).
Meaning: lower limb from groin to ankle (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 腿 | teoi² |
| 髀 | bei² |
| 腳 / 脚 | goek³ |
The term is used to refer to the lower limb from the groin to the ankle.
Which one should you use?
While 腿 refers to the whole leg, 髀 specifically refers to the thigh area.
How do you pronounce it?
teoi²
Did you know?
- In Cantonese, the word 腳 is used in the term 腳本, which refers to a movie or play script, literally translating to 'foot book'.
- A common Cantonese slang term for a 'henchman' or 'lackey' involves the word 腳, implying the person is just the 'legs' doing the running for a boss.
- While 腿 refers to the whole leg, the word 腳 is often used colloquially to mean the entire leg, not just the foot.
Examples in context
- 佢對腿好長。keoi5 deoi3 toi2 hou2 coeng4.Her legs are very long.
- 佢對腿受咗傷。keoi5 deoi3 toi2 sau6 zo2 soeng1.His legs are injured.
Example conversation
A man is resting on a park bench after a long walk.
- 美玲 Mei Ling子健，你點呀？zi2 gin6, nei5 dim2 aa3?Zi Kin, how are you?
- 子健 Tsz Kin我對腿好酸呀。ngo5 deoi3 toi2 hou2 syun1 aa3.My legs are very sore.
- 美玲 Mei Ling係咪行得太多？hai6 mai6 haang4 dak1 taai3 do1?Did you walk too much?
- 子健 Tsz Kin係呀，我覺得好攰。hai6 aa3, ngo5 gok3 dak1 hou2 gui6.Yes, I feel very tired.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “leg” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
