生蛇
saang¹ se⁴
The Cantonese term for shingles is 生蛇 (saang¹ se⁴).
生蛇 is used colloquially to refer to the skin rash and blisters caused by shingles.
Meaning: herpes zoster (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term literally means 'growing a snake' or 'born a snake'.
How do you pronounce it?
saang¹ se⁴
Did you know?
- In some Cantonese households, the onset of 生蛇 is traditionally blamed on 'wind' entering the body through an open pore.
- The phrase is so common in colloquial Cantonese that it is often used as a dark joke when someone has a particularly long or winding scratch.
- While 生蛇 is the common term, a doctor in Hong Kong would likely use the more formal term 帶狀疱疹 in a medical report.
Examples in context
- 佢生蛇生到好痛。keoi5 saang1 se4 saang1 dou3 hou2 tung3.He has shingles and it is very painful.
- 你要小心唔好生蛇。nei5 jiu3 siu2 sam1 m4 hou2 saang1 se4.You should be careful not to get shingles.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a rash on the skin.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung俊傑，你個腰點解咁紅？zeon6 kit3, nei5 go3 jiu1 dim2 gaai2 gam3 hung4?Jun Kit, why is your waist so red?
- 俊傑 Chun Kit醫生話我生蛇。ji1 sang1 waa2 ngo5 sang1 se4.The doctor said I have shingles.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung係唔係好痛呀？hai6 m4 hai6 hou2 tung3 aa3?Does it hurt a lot?
- 俊傑 Chun Kit係，好痕而且好痛。hai6, hou2 han6 ji4 ce2 hou2 tung3.Yes, it's very itchy and painful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shingles” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
