Ambrose Li

Meta-index to ˉdziŋ ˍdzi (etymologically correct written forms) of Cantonese words‍[Note 1]

(List updated 2024-04-13 23:17)

This is a work-in-progress based on a few books I bought. It might contain errors since I did the indexing myself. Key and bibliography are at the end.

ɐ

  • ˉɐn,
    • to fidget (with one’s feet) (), dz.24
  • ˈɐp,
    • to apply herbal medicine topically (), dz.87
  • ˉɐu,
    • to experience symptoms of pregnancy (), j.32–34

a

  • ˈak,
    • to deceive (𧮞), dz.88
  • ˉat,
    • smell of urine (), dz.53

b

  • ˍban,
    • mud, slip (, ), dz.55
  • ˉbau,
    • (of skin cracks) to emerge (), dz.29 s.v. 㿭
  • ˉbɐi ˉɐi,
    • sad (贔屭), dz.23 s.v. 贔
  • ˈbɐŋ, see ˈhɐŋ
  • ˉbɛŋ,
    • to hide (), dz.14
  • ˈbin,
    • broad bowl, shallow pan (), dz.7
  • ˈbou,
    • (cooking) pot, to cook (, ), dz.18
  • ˉbu ˉbu ˈdzit, see ˈdzit (to tickle)
  • ˍbuk,
    • to hide (), dz.14 s.v. 㔷, j.32
  • ˍbuk ˈnei ˈnei,
    • hide-and-seek (伏匿匿), dz.14 s.v. 㔷
  • ˍbun,
    • to mix (), s.5

d

  • ˉdat,
    • (of land) expansive (𡍲), dz.17
  • ˉdɐm,
    • to hang (), dz.72
  • ˈdɐŋ ˍdai ˉdzɛk ˏŋan, see 
  • ˈdɐp,
    • droopy (, 𦖿), dz.16
  • ˉdɐu,
    • nest, den (), dz.63
  • ˍdɐu,
    • ignorant (), dz.68
    • person (), dz.64
  • ˈdœy,
    • a kind of pastry (), dz.40
  • ˈdik,
    • to arrest (a suspect), to transfer (a suspect) (𦉹), dz.33
    • to open with fingers, to pick up with fingers (), dz.34
  • ˈdit,
    • a few (), dz.48
  • ˈduk,
    • end, extremity, conclusion (), dz.12
    • to stab, to poke, to point (), dz.11
    • to stand straight (), dz.69 s.v. 戙
  • ˍduŋ,
    • pile mooring (), dz.69

dz

  • ˊdzan,
    • perfectly good (), dz.52
  • ˈdzɐt,
    • to arrange, to destine (), dz.30
  • ˈdzik,
    • hardworking (), dz.21
  • ˈdzim,
    • gusset (in woodworking) (), dz.26
  • ˈdzit,
    • to be filled to the brim (𤁢), dz.70 s.v. 㲺
    • (of water flow) to look rapid (), dz.70 s.v. 㲺
    • to receive (𢩦), dz.71
    • to squirt (, ), dz.70
    • to tickle (), dz.71
  • ˍdzou,
    • black, soap (), dz.28
  • ˈdzuk ˈji ˈjɐn,
    • hide-and-seek (捉伊人), dz.14 s.v. 㔷

f

  • ˉfɐn,
    • to be sleepy (), dz.45 s.v. 𣱐
    • to fall down, to lie down, to drop dead (), dz.45 s.v. 𣱐
    • to lie down, to be sleepy, to sleep (𣱐), dz.45
    • to sleep (), s.8
  • ˉfu,
    • to push suddenly by jerking one’s arm or leg (), dz.19

g

  • ˈgɐi,
    • ghost (), dz.80 s.v. 倀
  • ˈgɐt,
    • to prick (, ), dz.67 s.v. 㔆
  • ˍgɐu,
    • (quantifier, of solid things) blob (), dz.44
  • ˈgik,
    • quick (), dz.65
  • ˈgɔ,
    • kneecap (), dz.6
  • ˉgœk ˈgwa ˍlɔŋ, dz.31–32
  • ˈguk,
    • to hasten (), s.8
  • ˍguk,
    • to bake (), s.3
  • ˈgwa,
    • leg (), dz.31
  • ˊgwun,
    • (of water) boiling (), dz.46
  • ˈgyn,
    • small hole at the bottom of pots, to go through a hole, to move crouched within a cramped space (), dz.60

h

  • ˈha,
    • shortness of breath (, ), dz.51
  • ˍhɐn,
    • to covet, to desire, to want (𣣻), dz.79
  • ˈhɐŋ,
    • odour (𣫒), dz.49
  • ˈhin ˈha, see ˈha
  • ˉhin,
    • sticky (), dz.15

j

  • ˈjɐm,
    • fringes, bangs (of hair) (), dz.72
  • ˈjik,
    • (of meat) rotting, (of oils) rancid (), dz.42
  • ˊjin,
    • to show off (), dz.3

k

  • ˌkɛ,
    • to laugh, sounds of laughter (), dz.22
  • ˍkɛk,
    • sandal (), dz.83–84
  • ˏkiu,
    • to kink, kinked (), dz.66
    • to twist (), dz.66 s.v. 丩

l

  • ˍlai,
    • to sprinkle as offering (), s.5–6
  • ˉlap,
    • to pull up (), dz.59 s.v. 捋
  • ˌlɐi,
    • to come (), j.34–35
  • ˏlɐu,
    • fatty meat (), dz.8
  • ˌlei,
    • to come (), j.34–35
  • ˌlœy,
    • big (𡚗), dz.82
  • ˈliŋ,
    • smart (), dz.61
  • ˍlɔk,
    • to rain (𩂣), dz.76
  • ˍlɔŋ,
    • muscle (), dz.32
  • ˏlou ˍdɐu,
    • dad (老頭), dz.63–64
  • ˍluk,
    • to refine by fire, to cook by pouring of boiling liquid (), dz.47
  • ˈluŋ,
    • hole (, 窿), dz.20
  • ˍlyt,
    • to pull up with a sliding motion (), dz.59

m

  • ˍmɐn,
  • ˍmik,
    • the silk radical (), dz.66 s.v. 丩

n

  • ˈnei,
    • to hide (), dz.14 s.v. 㔷
  • ˈnɛk,
    • very competent (), dz.62

ŋ

  • ˏŋan ˊtan ˊtan, see 
  • ˍŋɐt,
    • senile (), dz.65
  • ˍŋɐu ˍdɐu, dz.68 s.v. 瞀 (ignorant)

p

  • ˌpa,
    • pickpocket (), dz.9
  • ˉpɛk,
    • to throw down, to discard, to put down (), dz.35
  • ˍpɛt,
    • (quantifier, for mud-like things) blob (), dz.36

s

  • ˊsaŋ,
    • to polish with grit (), dz.57 s.v. 㼽
    • to polish with grog (), dz.57
  • ˍsap,
    • to boil (), s.3
  • ˏsɐn,
    • crazy (), dz.85
  • ˊsœn,
    • highly desirable (), dz.10
  • ˊsi,
    • eye gunk (), dz.77
  • ˉsip,
    • to fill up a small gap, to act as filler (, , 𤗈, 𠓼), dz.54
  • ˌsœ,
    • to slide, slurping sound (, 𣿂), dz.27
  • ˈsou,
    • odour of pork etc. (, ), dz.50

t

  • ˏtai,
    • steering wheel (), j.33–34
  • ˊtan,
    • to roll one’s eyes (), dz.81
  • ˉtap,
    • deadbolt, to lock up (), dz.25
  • ˊtɐi,
    • to see, to look at (, ), dz.86
  • ˉtɐm,
    • to fool (𧨾), dz.89
  • ˏtɐm,
    • deep pit (), dz.90
    • puddle (, , ), dz.90 s.v. 窞
  • ˌtɐn,
    • (of pigs) fat (), dz.43
    • to pace back and forth (𨄇), dz.5

ts

  • ˊtsai,
    • to step on (, ), dz.58
  • ˌtsai, see ˊtsai
  • ˉtsak,
    • skin cracks (), dz.29
  • ˏtsam,
    • to prick (, ), dz.67
  • ˊtsan,
    • dust pan (), dz.41
  • ˌtsan,
    • insane, depraved (倀), dz.80
  • ˌtsan ˈgɐi,
    • bitchy, dz.80 s.v. 倀
  • ˊtsɛ ˈha, see ˈha
  • ˉtsœk,
    • to blanch (), s.4
  • ˈtsik,
    • instruction, edict (), dz.91
  • ˌtsim,
    • to snatch, to find a needle in a haystack (), dz.56
  • ˈtsɔk,
    • (an impression made by a) chop (), dz.74
  • ˉtsɔk,
    • to bring something close by jerking a second object (), dz.73
    • to swerve (), dz.74

w

  • ˈwɔ,
    • sauce-like (), dz.4
  • ˈwɔ ˈsɐm,
    • happy, content (捂心), dz.75 s.v. 捂

2 strokes

  • (ˏkiu), dz.66

3 strokes

  • 大隻纍纍 , see ˌlœy (big)
  • 大笪地 , see ˉdat (expansive)

4 strokes

  • (ˈnɛk), dz.62
  • (ˈdit) , dz.48
  • 𢩦 (ˈdzit), dz.71

5 strokes

  • (ˈdzit), dz.70
  • 打尖 , see 
  • 打邊爐 , see 
  • 打獻 , see 
  • 打爛沙盆問到篤 , see ,
  • (ˏtɐm), dz.90

6 strokes

  • (ˊtsan) , dz.41
  • (ˍbuk), dz.14, j.32
  • 伏匿匿 (ˍbuk ˈnei ˈnei), dz.14
  • (ˏtɐm), dz.90 s.v. 氹
  • (ˈdik), dz.34
  • (ˍmik), dz.66
  • 老兀兀 , see 
  • 老頭 (ˏlou ˍdɐu), dz.63–64

7 strokes

  • (ˉbɛŋ), dz.14
  • (ˈliŋ), dz.61
  • 佝瞀 (ˍŋɐu ˍdɐu), dz.68
  • (ˉfɐn), s.8
  • (ˈguk), s.8
  • (ˍdzou) , dz.28
  • (ˉhin), dz.15

8 strokes

  • (ˈgɐt), dz.67
  • (ˉtap), dz.25
  • ,
    • ˌlɐi, j.34–35
    • ˌlei, j.34–35
  • (ˍpɛt), dz.36
  • 垃圾鏟 , see 
  • (ˉfu), dz.19
  • (ˍbun), s.5
  • 泥扮 , see ˍban
  • 肥騰騰 , see 
  • (ˊsœn), dz.10
  • 𦉹 (ˈdik), dz.33

9 strokes

  • (ˏsɐn), dz.85
  • 為虎作賊 , see 倀
  • (ˈha), dz.51
  • 省鏡 , see 
  • (ˊtan), dz.81
  • (ˈdɐp), dz.16
  • (ˈgɐi), dz.80

10 strokes

  • (ˈdzit), dz.71
  • (ˉtsak), dz.29
  • 俾人省 , see 
  • 倀 (ˌtsan), dz.80
  • (ˈnei), dz.14
  • (ˈdzit), dz.70 s.v. 㲺
  • (ˍkɛk), dz.83–84
  • ,
    • ˈgik, dz.65
    • ˍŋɐt, dz.65
  • (ˍduŋ), dz.69
  • 捂心 (ˈwɔ ˈsɐm), dz.75
  • 捉伊人 (ˈdzuk ˈji ˈjɐn), dz.14
  • (ˍlyt), dz.59
  • 柴台 , see 
  • (ˏtɐm) , dz.90 s.v. 氹
  • 笑騎騎 , see 
  • (ˈbou) , dz.18
  • (ˉat), dz.53
  • 臭哼哼 , see ˈhɐŋ
  • 陰質 , see 

11 strokes

  • (ˈduk), dz.12
  • (ˍban), dz.55 s.v. 湴
  • 得戚 (proud) , see 
  • (ˈtsik), dz.91
  • (ˊgwun), dz.46
  • (ˍban), dz.55
  • (ˍguk), s.3
  • (ˈgyn), dz.60
  • (ˊsi) , dz.77
  • 眼定定 , see 
  • 眼屎 , see 
  • (ˏtai), j.33–34
  • (ˊjin), dz.3
  • (ˈduk), dz.11
  • 魚柳 , see 

12 strokes

  • (ˉtsɔk) , dz.73
  • (ˍgɐu), dz.44
  • (ˌpa) , dz.9
  • (ˉtsœk), s.4
  • (ˊtɐi), dz.86
  • (ˉfɐn), dz.45
  • 𡍲 (ˉdat), dz.17
  • 𤗈 (ˉsip), dz.54 s.v. 槷

13 strokes

  • (ˌkɛ), dz.22
  • (ˉsip), dz.54 s.v. 槷
  • 楝篤企 , see 
  • (ˈwɔ), dz.4
  • 煎堆 , see 
  • (ˍsap), s.3
  • (ˈbou), dz.18 s.v. 缹
  • (ˈbin), dz.7
  • 盞鬼 (cute) , see 
  • (ˏtɐm) , dz.90
  • 窩蛋 , see 
  • (ˈɐp), dz.87
  • (ˌtɐn), dz.43
  • 腳瓜 , see 
  • 腳膼䯖 (ˉgœk ˈgwa ˍlɔŋ), dz.31–32
  • (ˊtsai), dz.58

14 strokes

  • (ˏtsam), dz.67
  • (ˉɐn), dz.24
  • (ˉfɐn), dz.45
  • (ˉɐu), j.32–34
  • (ˈdzik), dz.21
  • 滾水 , see 
  • (ˈha), dz.51 s.v. 疨
  • (ˊtɐi) , dz.86 s.v. 睇
  • (ˍdɐu), dz.68
  • 精叻 , see 
  • 精靈 (smart) , see 
  • (ˏlɐu), dz.8
  • (ˍlai), s.5–6
  • ,
    • ˉdɐm, dz.72
    • ˈjɐm, dz.72
  • 𣣻 (ˍhɐn), dz.79
  • 𣱐 (ˉfɐn), dz.45
  • 𩂣 (ˍlɔk) , dz.76

15 strokes

  • (ˈgɔ), dz.6
  • 劈炮 , see 
  • (ˌtsim), dz.56
  • (ˉsip), dz.54
  • (ˍluk), dz.47
  • 膝頭哥 , see 
  • (ˈgwa), dz.31
  • 論盡 (clumsy) , see ˌlœy (big)
  • (ˊtsai), dz.58 s.v. 跴
  • 𣿂 (ˌsœ), dz.27 s.v. 瀡
  • 𧨾 (ˉtɐm), dz.89

16 strokes

  • (ˊsaŋ), dz.57
  • (ˉpɛk), dz.35
  • (ˈdzit), dz.70
  • (ˊsaŋ), dz.57
  • 窿 (ˈluŋ), dz.20 s.v. 竉
  • 篤背脊 , see 
  • (ˈjik), dz.42
  • 辦麫 , see 
  • (ˍdɐu), dz.64
  • 𠓼 (ˉsip), dz.54 s.v. 槷
  • 𦖿 (ˈdɐp), dz.16 s.v. 耷

17 strokes

  • (ˍlɔŋ), dz.32
  • (ˌsœ), dz.27
  • (ˈgɐt), dz.67 s.v. 㓤
  • (ˈsou), dz.50

18 strokes

  • ,
    • ˈtsɔk, dz.74
    • ˉtsɔk , dz.74
  • (ˉlap), dz.59
  • (ˏkiu), dz.66
  • (ˈsou), dz.50 s.v. 臊
  • 𡚗 (ˌlœy), dz.82
  • 𣫒 (ˈhɐŋ), dz.49
  • 𤁢 (ˈdzit), dz.70
  • 𨄇 (ˌtɐn), dz.5

19 strokes

  • (ˈdœy), dz.40
  • (ˏtsam), dz.67 s.v. 㔆
  • 瀨粉 , see 
  • 爆拆 , see 
  • 爆擦 , see 
  • (ˈdzɐt), dz.30

20 strokes

  • (ˉbau), dz.29
  • 獻汁 , see 
  • (ˍmɐn), dz.13
  • (ˉdɐu), dz.63

21 strokes

  • 攝灶罅 , see ˉsip
  • (ˈdzim), dz.26
  • (ˈluŋ) , dz.20
  • 贔屭 (ˉbɐi ˉɐi), dz.23

22 strokes

  • (ˊdzan), dz.52

24 strokes

  • (ˈduk), dz.69

27 strokes

  • 𧮞 (ˈak), dz.88

Icons

Etymologically incorrect
Etymologically correct but possibly too rare, archaic or obsolete
Hypothesized to be etymologically correct but disputed

Works indexed

s.
Chan, Pak Fai and Vai Hong Ng. 生活粵語本字趣談 [Fun facts about the original written forms of everyday Cantonese words]. Hong Kong: Chung Hwa, 2006. A mass-market presentation of plausible correct orthographies of words commonly believed to be colloquial. Authors were practising linguists. 94 pages. ISBN 962-231-894-0. Raw data for index entries available.
dz.
Pang, Chi-ming. 正字正確 [Be correct: Etymologically correct written forms]. Hong Kong: Subculture, 2007. A mass-market presentation of plausible correct orthographies of words commonly believed to be colloquial. Note that a few proposed orthographies are disputed (by the author or someone else). 160 pages. ISBN 962-992-136-7. Raw data for index entries available.
j.
Chan, Pak Fai. 論粵方言詞本字考釋 [On the study of the original written forms of words in the Cantonese dialect]. Hong Kong: Chung Hwa, 1998. A semi-scholarly presentation of how to rigorously investigate the etymology of words. 176 pages. ISBN 962-231-947-5. Raw data for index entries available.

Notes

  1. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://​creativecommons​.org/​licenses/​by/​4​.0/​.