紫菜
zi2 coi3
In Cantonese, seaweed is said as 紫菜 (zi2 coi3).
The term 紫菜 specifically refers to Nori seaweed.
Meaning: marine algae (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term 紫菜 literally means 'purple vegetable'.
Which one should you use?
紫菜 specifically refers to Nori seaweed, whereas the term 海藻 is a formal way to refer to any type of seaweed.
How do you pronounce it?
zi2 coi3
Did you know?
- The character 紫 meaning 'purple' in 紫菜 refers to the deep reddish-purple color of the algae before it is processed and dried into a dark green or black sheet.
- While 紫菜 is the common word for Nori, Cantonese speakers use the term 海苔 specifically for the roasted, seasoned sheets used as snacks.
- Because 紫菜 is so common in soups, it is often associated with 'cooling' properties in Traditional Chinese Medicine, helping to balance 'heat' in the body.
Examples in context
- 我哋屋企隻貓好鍾意食紫菜。Our cat is very fond of seaweed.This sentence is useful for showing how to use 紫菜 when talking about a pet's food preferences.Tatoeba #758607 by nickyeow, translation #65515 by shekitten
- 呢碗湯入面有紫菜。ni1 wun2 tong1 jap6 min6 jau5 zi2 coi3.There is seaweed in this soup.
- 我想買啲紫菜返嚟食。ngo5 soeng2 maai5 di1 zi2 coi3 faan1 lai4 sik6.I want to buy some seaweed to eat.
Example conversation
Two people are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- 子健 Tsz Kin曉彤，你想唔想食紫菜？hiu2 tung4, nei5 soeng2 m4 soeng2 sik6 zi2 coi3?Hiu Tung, do you want to eat seaweed?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung好呀，我好鍾意食。hou2 aa3, ngo5 hou2 zung1 ji3 sik6.Yes, I love eating it.
- 子健 Tsz Kin噉我哋買啲紫菜包飯啦。gam2 ngo5 dei6 maai3 di1 zi2 coi3 baau1 faan6 laa1.Then let's buy some seaweed rice rolls.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung好主意，快啲行去買啦。hou2 zyu2 ji3, faai3 di1 haang4 heoi3 maai3 laa1.Good idea, let's go buy some quickly.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
