How to Say "Muscle" in Cantonese

肌肉

gei¹ juk⁶

The English word muscle is translated into Cantonese as 肌肉 (gei¹ juk⁶). Wiktionary also lists 筋肉 (gan¹ juk⁶).

Meaning: contractile tissue (noun)

Ways to say it

“muscle” in Cantonese
Cantonese	Romanization (Wiktionary)
肌肉	gei¹ juk⁶
筋肉	gan¹ juk⁶

Both provided forms refer to contractile tissue (noun).

gei¹ juk⁶

The phrase 肌肉發達 meaning 'well-developed muscles' uses the word 發達, which typically means 'to become wealthy' or 'prosperous'.
If you describe someone's muscles as 'stiff', the Cantonese phrase used can often be the same one used to describe someone who is being socially 'awkward' or 'unnatural'.
In traditional Cantonese medicine, muscle stiffness is not viewed as a mechanical issue, but rather as 'wind' or 'dampness' blocking the flow of energy through the 肌肉.

鯊魚咬傷嘅問題係，佢哋唔單止會造成乾淨嘅割傷，仲會造成好多損傷同創傷。佢哋成日會斷骨同撕裂肌肉，所以試圖整啲嘢去阻止佢流血幾乎係唔可能嘅。但係推喺冇血嘅地方嘅腹股其實係一件好易嘅事。
The trouble with a shark bite, they don’t just cause a clean cut, they cause lots of damage and trauma. They often break bones and rip muscle to pieces, and so trying to push on something to stop it bleeding is almost impossible. But pushing on the groin where there is no blood is actually an easy thing to do.
This sentence is useful for describing how physical trauma like a shark bite can involve ripping 肌肉 to pieces.
Tatoeba #13493151 by Davidgo5867, translation #10321388 by Hybrid
佢嘅肌肉好強壯。
keoi5 ge3 jik6 kau1 hou2 koeng4 zoeng6.
His muscles are very strong.

Two friends are talking at the gym.

子健 Tsz Kin

子健，你啲手臂肌肉好發達呀！
zi2 gin6, nei5 di1 sau2 bei3 ji1 cuk1 hou2 faat3 daat6 aa3!
Zijian, your arm muscles are so well-developed!
雅婷 Nga Ting

多謝你，我最近每日都做運動。
do1 ze6 nei5, ngo5 zui3 gan6 mui5 jat6 dou1 zou6 wan6 dung6.
Thank you, I've been exercising every day lately.
子健 Tsz Kin

係唔係要食好多蛋白質先有肌肉？
hai6 m4 hai6 jiu3 sik6 hou2 do1 daan3 baak1 zat1 sin1 jau5 ji1 cuk1?
Do you need to eat a lot of protein to get muscles?
雅婷 Nga Ting

係嘅，飲食同訓練都好重要。
hai6 ge3, jam2 sik6 tung4 hyun3 lin6 dou1 hou2 zung6 jiu3.
Yes, diet and training are both very important.

Sources

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