December 31, 2025Animals and Nature
Common Animals§
| English | Hakka |
|---|
| Chicken | kai |
| Pig | cu |
| Cow | nyiu / nyu |
| Dog | kew / khew |
| Cat | miaow / miau |
| Bird | tiau |
| Horse | ma |
| Fish | eng |
| Turtle | kui |
| Goat | jong |
Natural World§
| English | Hakka |
|---|
| Earth | thi |
| Water | sui |
| Forest | san |
| Grass | cho |
| Vegetable | choi |
| Garden | choi jan |
| Sun | ngiat thew |
| Moon/Month | ngiat kong |
Temperature and Conditions§
| English | Hakka |
|---|
| Hot | sau |
| Cold | liong |
Since many animals are also food sources:
- Kai nyuk = chicken meat
- Nyiu nyuk = beef
- Cu nyuk = pork
Notes§
- Animals in Hakka culture often appear in food contexts
- Nyuk = meat (when referring to animal as food)
- Many animal words are similar to their sounds or Mandarin equivalents
—The Gardener