衛生棉條
wai sang min tiu
The Cantonese phrase for "tampons" is 衛生棉條 (wai sang min tiu).
The term refers to absorbent plugs inserted into the vagina to collect menstrual blood.
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of 衛生 (hygiene), 棉 (cotton) and 條 (strip/piece).
How do you pronounce it?
wai sang min tiu
Did you know?
- The term 衛生 in 衛生棉條 is a loanword from Japanese, where it originally meant 'health preservation' before becoming the word for 'hygiene'.
- The character 條 used in 衛生棉條 is a classifier specifically for long, thin objects like strings, fish and trousers.
- While 衛生棉條 is the formal term, many Cantonese speakers use the English word 'tampon' in casual conversation due to the heavy influence of English in Hong Kong.
Examples in context
- 超市有賣衛生棉條嗎？ciu1 si5 jau5 maai6 wai4 sang1 mui4 tiu4 maa1?Does the supermarket sell tampons?
- 你要用衛生棉條嗎？nei5 jiu3 jung6 wai4 sang1 mui4 tiu4 maa1?Do you want to use a tampon?
Example conversation
At a drugstore.
- 志強 Chi Keung雅婷，你想買啲咩？aa2 ting2, nei5 soeng2 maai5 di1 me1?Ya Ting, what do you want to buy?
- 雅婷 Nga Ting我想買衛生棉條。ngo2 soeng2 maai5 wai6 sang1 min2 tiu4.I want to buy tampons.
- 志強 Chi Keung喺邊個貨架？hai2 bin1 go3 fo3 gaa2?Which shelf are they on?
- 雅婷 Nga Ting喺嗰邊個貨架。hai2 go2 bin1 go3 fo3 gaa2.They are on that shelf over there.
