
The mosquitos of Hong Kong must tremble in their boots when they see Mr Lee Ming-wai, Pest Control Officer-in-charge at the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. There were twenty-nine cases of dengue fever in Hong Kong last year, a fact that must add to Lee’s determination to control the insects effectively. Hence this story on a new mosquito catcher or 捕蚊器 bouh6 mān1 hei3, a Dutch invention that Mr Lee hopes will answer all his prayers. Whatever the eventual outcome of this innovation, the following report, put together by 關可為 Gwāan1 Hó2 Wàih4 at TVB, is a veritable treasure trove of entomological vocabulary!
Visit the TVB website for a slightly different version of this report!
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12 new words:
1. 引入 yán2 yahp6 = to introduce (from elsewhere)
2. 成蚊 sìhng4 mān1 = adult mosquito
3. 幼蟲 yau3 chùhng4 = larva; larvae
4. 滋生 jī1 sāang1 = to breed; to multiply
5. 產卵 cháan2 léun2/léuhn5 = to lay eggs
6. 孵 fū1 = to hatch; to brood; to incubate
7. 監察 gāam1 chaat3 = to supervise; to monitor
8. 白紋伊蚊 baahk6 màhn4 yī1 mān1 = (Asian) tiger mosquito or forest mosquito (Aedes albopictus)
9. 針 jām1 = (of a mosquito) to bite
10. 實地測試 saht6 deih6 chāk1 si3 = on the spot + to test
11. 成效 sìhng4 haauh6 = effect; result
12. 推展 teui3 jín2 = to roll forward; to roll out; to promote; to extend to
*For correct jyutping romanization, you can cut and paste any Cantonese vocabulary in this post into the Sheik Cantonese website for checking.
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食環署引入新型捕蚊器,可以同時針對成蚊同幼蟲。
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department are introducing a new type of mosquito catcher that can target both adult mosquitos and larvae at the same time.
Note: The character 針 jām1 crops up in a couple of words used in this report. Here, 針對 jām1 deui3 is used, which means “to be aimed at; to be directed at”. Later, you’ll notice that 針 jām1 is also used as the verb “to bite” when applied to mosquitos (it means “to sting” in the case of bees, etc.).
春夏潮濕多雨,有利蚊蟲滋生。
Spring and Summer are humid and rainy, [conditions] favourable to [有利 yáuh5 leih6] the breeding of mosquitos. Continue reading “Cantonese through News Stories: Hong Kong Trials New Mosquito Catcher” →