Cantonese Phrasebook: Greetings & Essential Phrases
The most useful Cantonese words and phrases for travelers — greetings, polite basics, numbers, directions and more — each with a simple pronunciation guide. This is a preview of the full phrasebook content.
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Greetings & IntroductionsCommon Words & QuestionsNumbersDays & TimeDirectionsLocationsFoodLodgingMedicalBody PartsEmergenciesWeatherDescriptionsFamilyOccupationsCustomsFuel & Vehicle
Greetings & Introductions 10 phrases
Welcome.歡迎fūnyı̏ng
Hello.哈佬hālőu
Good morning.早晨jóusȁn
Good night.早唞jóutáu
Good bye.再見joigin
How are you?你好嗎？ne̋i hóu ma?
I'm fine, thanks, and you?我好好，多謝，你呢？ngő hóu hóu, dōjẹ, ne̋i nē?
I'm pleased to meet you.好高興認識你hóu gōuhing yịngsīk ne̋i
Thank you for your help.多謝你嘅幫手dōjẹ ne̋ige bōngsáu
My name is ___.我叫做___ngő giujọu ___
Common Words & Questions 30 phrases
Please.請chíng
Thank you.唔該 / 多謝m̏ gōi / dōjẹ
Can someone assist us?有冇人可以幫我哋？ya̋u mőu yȁn hóyı̋ bōng ngődẹi?
OK.好hóu
Excuse me. / I'm sorry.对唔住deui m̏ jyụ
Yes.係hại
No.唔係m̏ hại
Maybe.或者係wạakjé hại
Right.啱ngāam
Wrong.唔啱 / 錯m̏ ngāam / cho
Here.呢度nīdọu
There.嗰度gódọu
I want.我想ngő seúng
I do not want.我唔想ngő m̏ seúng
Danger.危險ngȁihím
OK, no problem.好，冇問題hóu, mőu mạntȁi
Who?邊個？bīngo?
What?乜嘢？mātye̋?
When?幾時？géisı̏?
Where?邊度？bīndọu?
Why?點解？dímgáai?
How?點樣？dímyeúng?
What happened?發生乜嘢事？faat sāng mātye̋ sị?
Do you have ___?你有冇___？ne̋i ya̋u mőu ___?
Do you need help?你要幫手嗎？ne̋i yiu bōngsáu ma?
I am我係ngő hại
You are你係ne̋i hại
He / She is佢係keűi hại
We are我哋係ngődẹi hại
They are佢哋係keűidẹi hại
Numbers 40 phrases
0 Zero零lı̏ng
1 One一yāt
2 Two二yị
3 Three三sāam
4 Four四sei
5 Five五n̋g / m̋
6 Six六lụk
7 Seven七chāt
8 Eight八baat
9 Nine九gáu
10 Ten十sạp
11 Eleven十一sạpyāt
12 Twelve十二sạpyị
13 Thirteen十三sạpsāam
14 Fourteen十四sạpsei
15 Fifteen十五sạpm̋
16 Sixteen十六sạplụk
17 Seventeen十七sạpchāt
18 Eighteen十八sạpbaat
19 Nineteen十九sạpgáu
20 Twenty二十yịsạp
30 Thirty三十sāamsạp
40 Forty四十seisạp
50 Fifty五十m̋sạp
60 Sixty六十lụksạp
70 Seventy七十chātsạp
90 Ninety九十gáusạp
100 Hundred一百yāt baak
1,000 Thousand一千yāt chīn
10,000 Ten Thousand一萬yāt mạan
100,000 Hundred Thousand十萬sạp mạan
1,000,000 Million一百萬yāt baak mạan
Plus加gā
Minus減gáam
More (than)多過dō gwo
Less (than)少過siú gwo
Approximately大約dạaiyeuk
First首先sáusīn
Second第二dại yị
Third第三dại sāam
Days & Time 24 phrases
Sunday星期日sīngkȅi yạt
Monday星期一sīngkȅi yāt
Tuesday星期二sīngkȅi yị
Wednesday星期三sīngkȅi sāam
Thursday星期四sīngkȅi sei
Friday星期五sīngkȅi m̋
Saturday星期六sīngkȅi lụk
Yesterday尋日chȁmyạt
Today今日gāmyạt
Tomorrow聽日tīngyạt
Day日頭yạttáu
Night夜晚yẹma̋an
Week星期sīngkȅi
Month月yụt
Year年nı̏n
Second秒miű
Minute分鐘fānjūng
Hour小時siúsı̏
Morning朝早jiūjóu
Evening夜晚yẹma̋an
Noon中午jūngm̋
Midnight半夜bunyé
Now而家yı̏gā
Later遲啲chı̏dī
Directions 26 phrases
Above / Over上便 / 嗰便seụngbịn / góbịn
After / Past後便 / 過去hạubịn / gwoheui
Back / Behind後便 / 後便hạubịn / hạubịn
Before / In front of / Forward前便 / 前便 / 向前chı̏nbịn / chı̏nbịn / heung chı̏n
Between中間jūnggāan
Coordinates坐標jọbiū
Degrees度數 / 程度dọusou / chı̏ngdọu
Down下便hạbịn
East東面dūng mịn
Far遠yűn
Longitude緯線wȁisin
Left左邊jóbīn
Latitude經線gīngsin
My position is ___.我嘅位置係___ngőge wạiji hại ___
Near近ka̋n
North北便bāk bịn
Northeast東北面dūngbāk mịn
Northwest西北面sāibāk mịn
Right右邊yạubīn
South南便nȁam bịn
Southeast東南面dūngnȁam mịn
Southwest西南面sāinȁam mịn
Straight ahead.直行jịk hȁang
Under下面hạmịn
Up上面seụngmịn
West西面sāimịn
Locations 25 phrases
Beach沙灘sātāan
Border邊境bīngíng
Bridge橋kiȕ
Camp軍營gwānyı̏ng
Dirt road爛泥路lạannȁi lọu
Forest樹林syụlȁm
Harbor海港hóigóng
Hill山sāan
House屋ūk
Lake湖wȕ
Meadow草地chóudéi
Mountain大山dạaisāan
Ocean海洋hóiyeȕng
Path路仔lọujái
Paved road石屎路sẹksí lọu
Place地方dẹifōng
Position位置wạiji
River河hȍ
Road路lọu
Sea海hói
Square廣場gwóngcheȕng
Tree樹syụ
Valley山谷sāangūk
Village村chyūn
Where?邊度？bīndọu?
Food 45 phrases
Food食物sịkmạt
Can罐頭guntáu
Cup杯būi
Fork叉chā
Knife刀dōu
Plate碟díp
Spoon匙羹chı̏gāng
Beans豆dáu
Beer啤酒bējáu
Bread麵包mịnbāau
Butter牛油ngȁuyȁu
Cheese芝士jīsí
Coffee咖啡gafē
Fish魚yú
Flour麵粉mịnfán
Fruit生果sāanggwó
Meat肉yụk
Milk牛奶ngȁuna̋ai
Oil油yȁu
Potatoes薯仔syȕjái
Rice米ma̋i
Salt鹽yı̏m
Soup湯tōng
Sugar糖tȍng
Tea茶chȁ
Vegetables蔬菜sōchoi
Water水seúi
Wine酒jáu
Drink.飲yám
Eat食sịk
Don't push! We have plenty of food.唔好推！我哋有大把食物m̏ hóu teūi! ngődẹi ya̋u dạaibá sịkmạt
Give me your bowl.畀你隻碗我béi ne̋i jek wún ngő
Is the water safe to drink?啲水飲唔飲得㗎？dī seúi yám m̏ yám dāk ga?
Boil the water.煲吓啲水bōu há dī seúi
Wash your hands.洗吓你對手sái há ne̋i deui sáu
Wash yourself here.喺呢度沖涼hái nīdọu chūngleȕng
We need ___ liters of potable water.我哋需要___公升食水ngődẹi seūiyiu ___ gūngsīng sịkseúi
Where is the latrine?廁所响邊度？chisó heúng bīndọu?
The latrine is to the ___.廁所喺你嘅___chisó hái ne̋ige ___
The latrine is to the left.左手邊jó sáu bīn
The latrine is to the right.右手邊yạu sáu bīn
The latrine is straight ahead.前便chı̏nbịn
Is the food fresh?啲食物新唔新鮮？dī sịkmạt sān m̏ sānsīn?
Is the food spoiled?啲食物係唔係壞咗？dī sịkmạt hại m̏ hại wạai jó?
Burn this ___.燒咗(佢)siūjó keűi
Lodging 9 phrases
We must spend the night here.我哋要喺呢度過夜ngődẹi yiu hái nīdọu gwo yé
Is there a dining facility here?呢度邊度有嘢食㗎？nīdọu bīndọu ya̋u ye̋ sịk ga?
How many kilometers to the nearest town?最近嘅鎮離呢度有幾多公里呀？jeui ka̋n ge jan lȅi nīdọu ya̋u géidō gūngle̋i a?
Are there any hotels near here?呢度附近有冇酒店？nīdọu fụgạn ya̋u mőu jáudim?
Are there any restaurants near here?呢度附近有冇酒樓呀？nīdọu fụgạn ya̋u mőu jáulȁu a?
We want to go to ___.我哋想去___ngődẹi seúng heui ___
Are there rental cars available?有冇車租呀？ya̋u mőu chē jōu a?
Is there a telephone available?有冇電話呀？ya̋u mőu dịnwá a?
We need ___ gallons of potable water.我哋需要___ 加侖食水ngődẹi seūiyiu ___ gāleún sịkseúi
Medical 33 phrases
Antibiotics抗生素kongsāngsou
Bandage包扎bāaujaat
Blood血hyut
Burn燒傷siūseūng
Clean乾淨gōnjẹng
Dead死咗séijó
Doctor醫生yīsāng
Fever發燒faatsiū
Hospital醫院yīyún
Infection感染gámyı̋m
Injured受傷sạuseūng
Malnutrition營養不良yı̏ngyeűng bātleȕng
Medic醫療隊員yīliȕ deụiyȕn
Medicine醫藥yīyeụk
Nurse看護honwụ
Poison毒藥dụkyeụk
Sick生病sāang bẹng
Vitamins維他命wȁitāmịng
Wound傷口seūngháu
I am a doctor.我係醫生ngő hại yīsāng
I am not a doctor.我唔係醫生ngő m̏ hại yīsāng
I am going to help.我會去幫手ngő wűi heui bōngsáu
Can you walk?你行得嗎？ne̋i hȁang dāk ma?
Can you sit?你坐得嗎？ne̋i chő dāk ma?
Can you stand?你企得嗎？ne̋i ke̋i dāk ma?
Are you in pain?你係唔係好痛呀？ne̋i hại m̏ hại hóu tung a?
You will get a shot.我哋會同你打支針ngődẹi wűi tȕng ne̋i dá jī jām
I will take you to the hospital.我會帶你去醫院ngődẹi wűi daai ne̋i heui yīyún
What is wrong?有乜嘢事呀？ya̋u mātye̋ sị a?
Are you injured?你係唔係受咗傷呀？ne̋i hại m̏ hại sạujó seūng a?
Can you feed yourself?你可以自己食嘢嗎？ne̋i hóyı̋ jịgéi sịk ye̋ ma?
Open your mouth.擘大你個口maak dạai ne̋i go háu
Are you pregnant?你係唔係懷咗孕呀？ne̋i hại m̏ hại wȁai jó yạn a?
Body Parts 36 phrases
Abdomen肚腩tőuna̋am
Ankle腳眼geuknga̋an
Arm手臂sáubei
Bone骨頭gwāttȁu
Brain腦nőu
Chest心口sāmháu
Ear耳仔yı̋jái
Elbow手踭sáujāang
Eyes眼nga̋an
Face面mịn
Finger手指sáují
Foot腳geuk
Hair頭髮tȁufaat
Hand手sáu
Head頭tȁu
Heart心sām
Kidney腎sạn
Knee膝頭sāttȁu
Leg腿teúi
Lips口唇háuseȕn
Liver肝gōn
Lungs肺fai
Mouth嘴jeúi
Neck頸géng
Nose鼻bẹi
Pelvis / Groin盆骨 / 下陰pȕngwāt / hạyām
Ribs肋骨lạkgwāt
Shoulder膊頭boktȁu
Skull頭骨tȁugwāt
Spine脊骨jekgwāt
Stomach (area)肚腩tőuna̋am
Stomach (organ)肚tőu
Teeth牙ngȁ
Toe腳趾geukjí
Tongue脷lẹi
Wrist手腕sáuwún
Emergencies 5 phrases
Emergency!緊急!gángāp!
We need a doctor!我哋要叫醫生!ngődẹi yiu giu yīsāng!
Distress signal危急信號ngȁigāp seunhọu
Help!救命呀!gau mẹng a!
Evacuate the area!緊急疏散！gángāp sōsaan!
Weather 18 phrases
Cold凍dung
Dry乾gōn
Earthquake地震dẹijan
Fog大霧dạaimọu
High winds大風dạaifūng
Hot熱yịt
Humidity濕度sāpdọu
Ice冰bīng
Lightning閃電símdịn
Rain落雨lọk yű
Sandstorm風沙fūngsā
Severe強烈 / 暴keȕnglịt / bọu
Snow雪syut
Storm打風dá fūng
Temperature溫度wāndọu
Thunderstorm行雷閃電hȁangleȕi símdịn
Weather天氣tīnhei
Wet濕sāp
Descriptions 69 phrases
Black黑色hāak sīk
Blue藍色lȁam sīk
Brown啡色fē sīk
Gray灰色fūi sīk
Green綠色lụk sīk
Orange橙色cháang sīk
Purple紫色jí sīk
Red紅色hȕng sīk
White白色bạak sīk
Yellow黃色wȍng sīk
Big大dạai
Deep深sām
Long長cheȕng
Narrow窄jaak
Short (in height)矮ái
Short (in length)短dyún
Small, little细 / 小sai / siú
Tall高gōu
Thick厚ha̋u
Thin薄bọk
Wide闊fut
Round圓yȕn
Straight直jịk
Square四方seifōng
Triangular三角sāamgok
Bitter苦fú
Fresh新鮮sānsīn
Salty鹹hȁam
Sour酸syūn
Spicy辣lạat
Sweet甜tı̏m
Bad壞wạai
Clean乾淨gōnjẹng
Dark黑暗hāak’am
Difficult難nȁan
Dirty汚糟wūjōu
Dry乾gōn
Easy容易yȕngyị
Empty空hūng
Expensive貴gwai
Fast快faai
Foreign外地ngọidẹi
Full滿műn
Good好hóu
Hard (firm)硬ngạang
Heavy重chűng
Inexpensive唔貴m̏ gwai
Light (illumination)光猛gwōngma̋ang
Light (weight)輕hēng
Local本地búndẹi
New新sān
Noisy好嘈hóuchȍu
Old (about things)舊gạu
Old (about people)老lőu
Powerful好有力hóu ya̋u lịk
Quiet靜jịng
Right / Correct啱ngāam
Slow慢mạan
Soft軟yűn
Very好hóu
Weak弱yeụk
Wet濕sāp
Wrong / Incorrect唔啱 / 錯m̏ ngāam / cho
Young後生hạusāang
Few / Little少siú
Many / Much多dō
Part一部份yātbọufạn
Some / A few一啲yātdī
Whole全部chyȕnbọu
Family 21 phrases
Aunt姑姐 / 姑媽gūjē / gūmā
Brother兄弟hīngdại
Child細路sailọu
Children細路仔sailọujái
Cousin堂兄弟姊妹tȍng hīngdại jímụi
Daughter女neűi
Family屋企人ūkkéiyȁn
Father老竇lőudạu
Grandfather阿爺 / 阿公ayȅ / agūng
Grandmother阿嫲 / 阿婆amȁ, apȍ
Husband老公lőugūng
Man男人nȁamyán
Men男人nȁamyán
Mother媽媽mȁmā
Relatives親戚chānchīk
Sister家姐 / 細妹gājē / saimúi
Son仔jái
Uncle阿叔 / 阿伯asūk / abaak
Wife老婆lőupȍ
Woman女人neűiyán
Women女人neűiyán
Occupations 25 phrases
Air Force空軍hūnggwān
Army陸軍lụkgwān
Marines海軍陸戰隊hóigwān lụkjin deúi
Navy海軍hóigwān
Air Defense空防hūngfȍng
Commander司令sīlịng
Dentist牙醫ngȁyī
Doctor醫生yīsāng
Driver司機sīgēi
Farmer農夫nȕngfū
Fisherman漁夫yȕfū
Government employee政府公務員jingfú gūngmọuyȕn
Guard門衞mȕnwại
Housewife家庭主婦gātı̏ng jyúfű
Laborer工人gūngyȁn
Mechanic大計dạaigái
Messenger通訊員tūngseunyȕn
Pilot機師gēisī
Policeman警察gíngchaat
Sailor海員hóiyȕn
Businessman生意佬sāangyi lőu (Colloquial)
Shopkeeper老闆lőubáan
Soldier兵bīng
Student學生họksāang
Teacher先生sīnsāang
Customs 67 phrases
Where is my customs declaration?我嘅報關紙响邊度？ngőge bougwāanjí heúng bīndọu?
I do not have anything to declare.我冇嘢要報關ngő mőu ye̋ yiu bougwāan
These goods are personal.呢啲嘢係私人物品nīdī ye̋ hại sīyȁn mạtbán
Not for sale.非賣品fēi mạaibán
Can you help me fill out the forms?你可以幫我填表嗎？ne̋i hóyı̋ bōng ngő tı̏n biú ma?
Is this correct?噉樣啱唔啱？gám yeúng ngāam m̏ ngāam?
Here is my passport.呢本係我嘅護照nī bún hại ngőge wụjiu
Here is my visa.呢度係我嘅簽證nīdọu hại ngőge chīmjing
I have no Hong Kong money.我冇港銀ngő mőu góng ngán
Ad values面值mịnjịk
Ammunition彈藥dáanyeụk
Baggage行李hȁngle̋i
Bill of lading提單tȁidāan
Cargo貨物fomạt
Customs海關hóigwāan
Customs declaration海關申報hóigwāan sānbou
Customs tax關稅gwāanseui
Customs worker海關人員hóigwāan yȁnyȕn
Damaged損壞syúnwạai
Delivery送貨sungfo
Duty入口税yạpháuseui
Expenditures開鎖hōisó
Export出口cheūtháu
False假gá
Foreign currency外幣ngọibại
Form (document)表格biúgaak
Holding所有物sóya̋u mạt
Import入口yạpháu
Insurance保險bóuhím
Cantonese廣東話Gwóngdūngwá
Loading裝貨jōngfo
Name of goods貨品名稱fobán mı̏ngchīng
Narcotics毒品dụkbán
National treasure國寶gwokbóu
Nomenclature學名họkméng
On-Board船上syȕnseụng
Origin来源地lȍiyȕndẹi
Owner物主mạtjyú
Packing list裝箱紙jōngseūngjí
Passport護照wụjiu
Permission准許證jeúnheúijing
Personal use個人用品goyȁn yụngbán
Personnel個人goyȁn
Prohibited禁止使用gamjí síyụng
Property物品mạtbán
Rate率leút
Rate of exchange匯率wụileút
Receipt收據sāugeui
Relics遺物wȁimạt
Restricted限制hạanjai
Souvenir紀念品geinịmbán
Specification規格kwāigaak
Storage儲存chyűchyȕn
Tariff關稅gwāanseui
Tax-free免税mı̋nseui
To answer回答wȕidaap
To be responsible for負責fụjaak
To export出口cheūtháu
To fill out填寫tı̏nsé
To present for customs inspection.送畀海關檢查sung béi hóigwāan gímchȁ
Transportation交通工具gāautūng gūnggeụi
Unloading卸貨sefo
Valuables貴重物品gwaijụng mạtbán
Value價值gajịk
Visa簽證chīmjing
Weapons武器mőuhei
X-ray machineX光機īks gwōng gēi
Fuel & Vehicle 14 phrases
Gasoline電油dịnyȁu
Oil油yȁu
Diesel柴油chȁaiyȁu
Gas (propane)石油氣sẹkyȁuhei
Liters公升gūngsīng
Do you have ___?你有冇___?ne̋i ya̋u mőu ___?
Hydraulic fluid水壓液seúi’aat yịk
Hydraulic system水壓系統seúi’aat hạitúng
We need maintenance support.我哋需要維修保養ngődẹi seūiyiu wȁisāu bóuye̋ung
We need ___.我哋需要___ngődẹi seūiyiu ___
400-cycle四百轉sei baak jyun
3-phase三段sāam dyụn
Alternating current更替電流gāngtai dịnlȁu
115-volt一百一十五鍋yāt baak yāt sạp m̋ wō
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