white powder; heroin (slang)
Meanings
4 senses · 8 examplesnoun
white cosmetic powder; face powder
Traditional makeup item, less common in modern usage.
She applied some white powder to her face.
Ancient court ladies often used lead-based white powder for makeup.
noun
whitening powder for walls; chalk
dialectA regional (dialect) term for a white, chalky substance used in construction.
This wall needs to be repainted with white powder (chalk).
The workers brought in several bags of white powder (for the walls).
noun
wheat flour; white flour
dialectA regional (dialect) term for refined wheat flour.
Mom used white flour to make dumplings.
Buy five jin of white flour and bring it back.
noun
heroin; a hard drug
slangA common slang term for heroin, especially in Southern China and Hong Kong. This is a critical modern meaning not listed in the source but widely used. WARNING: Highly dangerous and illegal.
He was arrested for trafficking heroin.
Drug addicts call heroin 'white powder'.