Saying Good night in Cantonese (走頭 / zau2 tau4) is as important as saying Good morning (早晨 / zou2 san4). After a long, tiring day, a simple Good night will free you from all the stress and problems. A simple Good night can also be a means of telling someone that you enjoyed the day and that you think about them before you go to sleep.
In this blog, you will be going to learn how to say good night in Cantonese. You will also learn Cantonese words and phrases that might come in handy if you plan to spend a fun and adventurous night in Hong Kong.
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How To Say Good Night In Cantonese?
Greetings like “Good morning,” “Good afternoon,” “Good evening,” and “Good night” are part of daily conversation. This is why Cantonese greetings are very important to learn. Because people in Hong Kong mainly speaks Cantonese, not Mandarin.
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So, if you are planning to visit Hong Kong and you want to learn how to say “Good night” in Cantonese, check out the list below, which can help you communicate with the locals.
| Meaning | Cantonese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| To leave or good night | 走頭 | zau2 tau4 |
| Good evening | 晚安 | Maan5 On1 |
| That was a great evening | 今晚好開心 | Gam1 Maan1 Hou2 Hoi1 Sam1 |
| Go to sleep | 訓覺啦 | fan3 gaau3 laa1 |
| Have a good dream | 祝你好夢 | zuk1 nei5 hou2 mung6 |
| Sleep well | 好好訓 | hou2 hou2 fan3 |
1. 走頭 (zau2 tau4)
If you would like to greet someone Good night in Cantonese, use 走頭 (zau2 tau4). It’s more informal and can imply “let’s go” or “time to go to bed.”
2. 晚安 (Maan5 On1)
晚安 (maan5 on1) means “Good evening.” This phrase is used in formal settings for both speech and writing. If you want to say goodbye and end the day in Cantonese but are not planning to sleep anytime soon, this is the word to use. You can put this at the beginning or end of the conversation.
3. 今晚好開心(Gam1 Maan1 Hou2 Hoi1 Sam1)
This expression means, “That was a great evening.”. Letting people know that you have enjoyed the rest of the evening with them will make their hearts skip a bit. Try saying this and see how it magically puts a smile on their faces.
4. 訓覺啦 (fan3 gaau3 laa1)
It means “go to sleep”. If someone says this to you, it is an invitation and also saying you should go to sleep.
5. 祝你好夢(zuk1 nei5 hou2 mung6)
This phrase means “Have a good dream” in English. Wishing someone a good dream is also a common way to say Good night. Of course, good dreams can bring you extra happiness in the morning when you wake up.
6. 好好訓 (hou2 hou2 fan3)
It is a polite and thoughtful thing to say, “Sleep well.” When we are young, we love it when parents tuck us into bed and read bedtime stories. That is their way of saying Good night. Sometimes, they also give you an extra good night kiss to make you feel loved and cared for before you sleep. As adults, we also want to experience that kind of feeling—maybe not through bedtime stories but even just through words.
More Vocabularies Related To Good Night In Cantonese
Saying Good night is also an essential greeting like Hello in Cantonese, Good morning, Good afternoon, and Good evening. Here are some more expressions you may encounter when you feel sleepy.
| Meaning | Cantonese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| good night | 傍晚 | pong4 maan5 |
| tonight | 今晚 | gam1 maan1 |
| midnight snack | 宵夜 | siu1 je5 |
| night view | 夜景 | je6 ging2 |
| overnight | 過夜 | gwo3 je5 |
| to pull an all-nighter | 通頂 | tung1 deng2 |
| sleep | 睡覺 | seoi6 gaau3 |
| to sleep late | 夜瞓 | je6 fan3 |
| I’m sleepy. | 我好眼瞓。 | ngo5 hou2 ngaan5 fan3 |
| bed | 床 | cong4 |
| Go to bed. | 去瞓覺。 | heoi3 fan3 gaau3 |
| I go to sleep around midnight | 我凌晨左右瞓覺。 | ngo5 ling4 san4 zo2 jau2 fan3 gaau3. |
Just like a Good morning can easily make your day great, a Good night can also make your night great, giving you a smile before going to dreamland. So why not practice and learn all the words and phrases above?
Frequently Asked Questions About Good Night In Cantonese
What Is The Standard Way To Say “Good night” In Cantonese?
The standard way to say “Good night” in Cantonese is “晚安” (maan5 on1).
How Do You Wish Someone Sweet Dreams In Cantonese?
To wish someone “sweet dreams” in Cantonese, you can say 祝你好夢(zuk1 nei5 hou2 mung6). If you want to be more specific, you can also say “祝你做個甜甜的夢” (zuk1 nei5 zou6 go3 tim4 tim4 dik1 mung6), which means “I wish you a sweet dream.”
What Does 訓覺啦 (fan3 gaau3 laa1) Mean?
The phrase “訓覺啦” (fan3 gaau3 laa1) in Cantonese means “go to sleep”. It’s a casual and friendly way to tell someone to go to bed or take a nap. The particle “啦” ( laa1) adds a softer tone to the suggestion.
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