八爪魚 / 八爪鱼
colloquial
The English word octopus can be translated into Cantonese as 八爪魚 / 八爪鱼 or 章魚 / 章鱼.
Meaning: mollusc (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Note |
|---|---|
| 八爪魚 / 八爪鱼 | colloquial |
| 章魚 / 章鱼 |
Both terms refer to the mollusc known as an octopus.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 八爪魚 literally means 'eight-claw fish' (八 baat8 eight, 爪 zaau2 claw, 魚 jyu4 fish).
Which one should you use?
While 八爪魚 is a descriptive and colloquial term, 章魚 is the more formal or standard biological term for an octopus.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
章魚 is the standard term used in more formal contexts, such as in scientific or culinary writing. In contrast, 八爪魚 is the common colloquial way to refer to an octopus in daily conversation.
Did you know?
- In Hong Kong, the word 八爪魚 is often used to describe a person who handles many different tasks or jobs simultaneously.
- In Cantonese astrology or folk beliefs, the number eight 八 is highly auspicious, making the name 八爪魚 sound more positive than its formal counterpart.
- If you see a menu item for 章魚丸, you are looking at 'octopus balls', a popular street food in Hong Kong made of minced octopus and starch.
Example sentences for Cantonese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “octopus” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
