How to say it in Cantonese
Everyday Cantonese as it is said in Hong Kong — each with its Jyutping, its tones and its sound. Or photograph your own, or see your name in Cantonese.
Food
- 菠蘿包 Pineapple bun
- 菠蘿油 Pineapple bun with butter
- 蛋撻 Egg tart
- 蝦餃 Shrimp dumpling (har gow)
- 燒賣 Siu mai (pork and shrimp dumpling)
- 叉燒包 Barbecue pork bun (char siu bao)
- 叉燒 Barbecue pork (char siu)
- 腸粉 Rice noodle roll (cheung fun)
- 鳳爪 Chicken feet (phoenix claws)
- 蘿蔔糕 Turnip cake
- 雞蛋仔 Egg waffle (gai daan jai)
- 魚蛋 Fish balls
- 咖喱魚蛋 Curry fish balls
- 雲吞麵 Wonton noodles
- 粥 Congee (rice porridge)
- 皮蛋瘦肉粥 Century egg and lean pork congee
- 油炸鬼 Fried dough stick (youtiao)
- 西多士 Hong Kong French toast
- 火腿通粉 Ham macaroni soup
- 即食麵 Instant noodles
- 燒鵝 Roast goose
- 燒肉 Crispy roast pork
- 豉油雞 Soy sauce chicken
- 海南雞飯 Hainanese chicken rice
- 煲仔飯 Clay pot rice
- 牛腩 Beef brisket
- 炒飯 Fried rice
- 揚州炒飯 Yangzhou fried rice
- 乾炒牛河 Beef chow fun
- 糯米雞 Sticky rice in lotus leaf
- 奶黃包 Custard bun
- 流沙包 Molten salted egg custard bun
- 煎堆 Sesame balls
- 芒果布甸 Mango pudding
- 豆腐花 Tofu pudding (dau fu fa)
- 糖水 Sweet soup (tong sui)
- 楊枝甘露 Mango pomelo sago
- 紅豆沙 Red bean soup
- 臭豆腐 Stinky tofu
- 燒味 Roast meats (siu mei)
- 打邊爐 Hot pot
- 菜心 Choi sum (flowering cabbage)
- 芥蘭 Chinese kale (gai lan)
- 雞蛋 Egg
- 牛肉 Beef
- 豬肉 Pork
- 雞 Chicken
- 蝦 Shrimp, prawn
- 麵 Noodles
- 三文治 Sandwich
- 午餐肉 Luncheon meat (spam)
- 煎蛋 Fried egg
- 碗仔翅 Imitation shark fin soup
- 牛雜 Beef offal
- 車仔麵 Cart noodles
- 叉燒飯 Barbecue pork rice
- 豉汁排骨 Steamed spare ribs in black bean sauce
- 雞尾包 Cocktail bun
- 月餅 Mooncake
- 湯圓 Sweet rice balls (tong yuen)
- 年糕 New Year cake
- 粽 Sticky rice dumpling (zongzi)
- 飲茶 Yum cha (going for dim sum)
- 點心 Dim sum
- 埋單 The bill, please
Drinks
- 奶茶 Hong Kong milk tea
- 凍奶茶 Iced milk tea
- 鴛鴦 Yuenyeung (coffee with milk tea)
- 檸檬茶 Lemon tea
- 凍檸茶 Iced lemon tea
- 咖啡 Coffee
- 齋啡 Black coffee
- 檸蜜 Honey lemon
- 茶走 Milk tea with condensed milk
- 少甜 Less sweet
- 走冰 No ice
- 走甜 No sugar
- 飛沙走奶 Coffee with no sugar or milk
- 豆漿 Soy milk
- 涼茶 Herbal tea
- 普洱 Pu-erh tea
- 香片 Jasmine tea
- 菊花茶 Chrysanthemum tea
- 熱水 Hot water
- 暖水 Warm water
- 冰水 Iced water
- 汽水 Soft drink, soda
- 啤酒 Beer
- 果汁 Fruit juice
- 橙汁 Orange juice
- 紅豆冰 Red bean ice drink
- 檸樂 Cola with lemon
- 熱朱古力 Hot chocolate
- 牛奶 Milk
- 珍珠奶茶 Bubble tea
- 水 Water
- 熱飲 Hot drink
- 凍飲 Cold drink
- 飲杯 Cheers
- 斟茶 Pour tea
Greetings
- 早晨 Good morning
- 你好 Hello
- 哈囉 Hello (casual)
- 喂 Hello (on the phone)
- 食咗飯未 Have you eaten yet?
- 你好嗎 How are you?
- 點呀 How's it going?
- 幾好 Pretty good
- 拜拜 Bye-bye
- 再見 Goodbye
- 早唞 Good night
- 好耐冇見 Long time no see
- 新年快樂 Happy New Year
- 恭喜發財 Gung hei fat choy (Lunar New Year greeting)
- 生日快樂 Happy birthday
- 保重 Take care
- 慢慢行 Take care (as someone leaves)
- 你叫咩名 What's your name?
Manners
- 唔該 Thank you (for a service), excuse me
- 多謝 Thank you (for a gift or compliment)
- 唔該晒 Thanks a lot
- 多謝晒 Thank you so much
- 唔好意思 Excuse me, sorry
- 對唔住 Sorry (apology)
- 唔使客氣 You're welcome
- 唔使唔該 No need to thank me
- 請問 Excuse me, may I ask
- 麻煩你 Sorry to trouble you, could you please
- 冇問題 No problem
- 唔緊要 It's okay, never mind
- 冇所謂 I don't mind
- 借借 Excuse me (let me through)
- 起筷 Let's eat
- 加水 More hot water, please (for the teapot)
- 唔該等等 One moment, please
- 幫幫手 Give me a hand
Getting around
- 港鐵 MTR (Hong Kong metro)
- 地鐵 Subway, metro
- 的士 Taxi
- 巴士 Bus
- 小巴 Minibus
- 電車 Tram
- 落車 Get off (a vehicle)
- 有落 Stop here, please (on a minibus)
- 轉車 Change trains or buses
- 月台 Platform
- 機場 Airport
- 去邊度 Where are you going?
- 喺邊度 Where is it?
- 左轉 Turn left
- 右轉 Turn right
- 呢度停 Stop here
- 過海 Cross the harbour
- 扶手電梯 Escalator
- 升降機 Lift, elevator
- 紅綠燈 Traffic lights
- 塞車 Traffic jam
- 蕩失路 Lost (lost your way)
Shopping
Numbers and money
Time
Places
- 香港 Hong Kong
- 九龍 Kowloon
- 新界 New Territories
- 尖沙咀 Tsim Sha Tsui
- 旺角 Mong Kok
- 中環 Central
- 銅鑼灣 Causeway Bay
- 山頂 The Peak, hilltop
- 澳門 Macau
- 茶餐廳 Cha chaan teng (Hong Kong café)
- 酒樓 Cantonese restaurant (for dim sum)
- 大排檔 Dai pai dong (open-air food stall)
- 醫院 Hospital
- 洗手間 Toilet, restroom
- 酒店 Hotel
- 便利店 Convenience store
- 海灘 Beach
- 屋企 Home
- 藥房 Pharmacy
- 超級市場 Supermarket
Signs
Family
Feelings
Expressions
- 係咁先 That's it for now
- 加油 Add oil (go for it)
- 好嘢 Yay, great
- 搞掂 Done, sorted
- 唔知 I don't know
- 明唔明 Do you understand?
- 大鑊 Big trouble
- 犀利 Awesome, impressive
- 是但 Whatever, anything
- 係 Yes, it is
- 唔係 No, it isn't
- 點解 Why
- 廣東話 Cantonese
- 識唔識講英文 Do you speak English?
- 人山人海 Crowded
- 走先 I'm off
- 炒魷魚 Fired (from a job)
- 雞同鴨講 Talking past each other