What’s your daily life routine? If you wanna live a Hong Konger style of life, learn this Cantonese common vocab in daily life starting from 床 (cong4).
Visiting Hong Kong and getting to experience their culture is an amazing experience. But, living with them for a long time is another level. Your everyday life will be totally different compared to what you are used to. There are lots of things to learn, and one of them, of course, is Cantonese vocabulary in daily life.
Cantonese is the main language spoken in Hong Kong; that’s why if you’re planning to spend a long time in this country, you should start to learn Cantonese. Most of them can speak English but learning Cantonese, especially conversational Cantonese will be really helpful. You can start with Cantonese greetings and, of course, these Cantonese common vocab in daily life.
So, prepare yourself for this short but very helpful lesson. If you’re new to learning Chinese languages like Cantonese, d not worry because English translation for Chinese characters will be provided. Romanizations will also help you with Cantonese pronunciation so let’s start learning Cantonese common vocab in daily life.
Cantonese Words In Daily Life
Chinese languages like Cantonese can be too challenging for beginners. You might also encounter other Chinese languages like Mandarin, but if you are staying in Hong Kong, Cantonese is the one to go.
Cantonese uses traditional Chinese characters, and there are differences between the written form and spoken Cantonese. That’s why it’s really important to in the right foot when you’re learning Cantonese. Carefully choose resources and the first set of essential vocabulary because it can be frustrating at first. Here is an example of essential vocabulary you should start with – common vocabulary in daily life. This is important, especially when you wanna have a conversation with a native speaker.
起身 (Hei2 San1)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]起身 [/Speechword] – Wake Up
Sample Sentence: 我朝早七點起身。(ngo5 ziu1 zou2 cat1 dim2 hei2 san1.)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我朝早七點起身[/Speechword] – I wake up at 7 a.m.
Let’s start this list of Cantonese common vocab in daily life by how we start the day, waking up 起身 (hei2 san1). Learning how to say Good morning and other greetings is also nice. If you have managed to stay in a nice accommodation in Hong Kong, you’ll have a chance to see the amazing skyline upon waking up.
Hong Kong is a late city. The shops do not open until late morning, so if you’re an early waker, make your morning productive doing house chores, checking emails, or at least taking a morning walk.
床 (Cong4)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]床[/Speechword] – Bed
Sample Sentence: 我落床。(ngo5 lok6 cong4.)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我落床[/Speechword] – I get out of bed.
Did you know fixing your bed 床 (Cong4) every time you wake up in the morning is already an act of productivity? Accomplishing simple tasks in the morning will push you to achieve more tasks during the day. It gives you a sense of responsibility to complete even simple tasks. When your mind is trained like this every day, there are more activities that you can be done.
早餐 (Zou2 Caan1)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]早餐[/Speechword] – Breakfast
Sample Sentence: 我食早餐。(ngo5 sik6 zou2 caan1.)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我食早餐[/Speechword] – I eat breakfast.
The next vocabulary is breakfast 早餐 (zou2 caan1). In Hong Kong, there are all-time breakfast favorites such as macaroni soup with salted meat, toast, classic ‘western’ fry up, milk tea.,congee, Gongzai noodles with fried egg and luncheon meat, and a scrambled egg sandwich.
Cheong fun.Some who are staying in bed like to have breakfast in bed 喺床上食早餐 (hai2 cong4 soeng6 sik6 zou2 caan1) while some go outside to have breakfast. Of course, there are a lot of restaurants that have the best breakfast menu in Hong Kong. Some of them are Luen Fat, Padstow Restaurant & Bar, and Chan Hon Kee. If you’re still not that good at Cantonese, then you might wanna ask for the English menu.
沖涼 (Cung1 Loeng4)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]沖涼[/Speechword] – Bath
Sample Sentence: 我沖個熱水涼。(ngo5 cung1 go3 jit6 seoi2 loeng4.)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我沖個熱水涼[/Speechword] – I take a hot bath.
The next vocab is the word bath 沖涼 (cung1 loeng4). Of course, this is definitely one of the most important parts of our daily routine. As a foreigner to land, make sure that before going out, you are well-groomed. This is really important especially if you’re up for business meetings.
In Hong Kong, there are actually a lot of bath products that locals use. These products range from affordable to high-end brands like Sephora, Bathe to Basics, Bath & Bloom HK, and Bath Concept Cosmetics (H.K.) Co., Ltd.
牙刷 (Ngaa4 Caat2)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]牙刷[/Speechword] – Toothbrush
Sample Sentence: 我刷牙。(ngo5 caat3 ngaa4.)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline] 我刷牙[/Speechword] – I brush my teeth.
After eating delicious Cantonese food, make sure to brush your teeth. This is the reason why toothbrush is one of the most important Cantonese common vocab in daily life. Brushing your teeth is also an essential part of your hygiene routine to be presentable to others.
In Hong Kong, an electric toothbrush is also popular. In fact, there are lots of companies that sell electric toothbrushes like Philips, Oral B, and Foreo.
工 (Gung1)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]工[/Speechword] – Work
Sample Sentence: 我返工。(ngo5 faan1 gung1)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我返工[/Speechword] – I go to work.
After all the getting ready routine, of course, another useful vocabulary is work. When it comes to work, Hong Kongers are really serious. Well, it is one of the Asian Tigers, and there are actually a lot of billionaires living there, so it’s not that surprising.
買餸 (Maai5 Sung3)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]買餸[/Speechword] – Buy Groceries
Sample Sentence: 我買餸。(ngo5 maai5 sung3.)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我買餸[/Speechword] – I buy groceries.
A week or month cannot pass without going shopping for groceries 買餸 (maai5 sung3). Groceries are important, especially if you’re living with your family. You don’t wanna be spending a lot of money on fast food and restaurants, right? So, you should consider putting buying groceries on your to-do lists.
Hong Kong has large grocery stores 雜貨舖 (zaap6 fo3 pou2) where you can enjoy shopping. Some of these grocery stores are Great Food Hall, SOGO Freshmart, city’super, Yata Supermarket, Marks & Spencer, and Just Green.
午餐 (Ng5 Caan1)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]午餐[/Speechword] – Lunch
Sample Sentence: 我煮午餐。(Ngo5 Zyu2 Ng5 Caan1.)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我煮午餐[/Speechword] – I make lunch.
Since Hong Kong is a late country, lunch is a big deal for them. This is an important part of our daily life routine. Most of the restaurants and fast-food chains are full and busy during lunchtime. Sometimes business meetings are also held during lunch. Some of the best lunch spots in Hong Kong are Amalfitana Central, Cruise, Sushi Shari, Tosca di Angelo, The Oyster House, and Burger Joys. While you’re in Hong Kong, do not forget to taste their tasty dim sum dishes.
洗衫 (Sai2 Saam1)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]洗衫[/Speechword] – Laundry
Sample Sentence: 我洗衫。(Ngo5 si2 saam1.)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]多謝[/Speechword] – I do laundry.
Of course, we couldn’t miss talking about laundry. Laundry and other services such as dry-cleaning are very common in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is known for its quick, high-quality, and frequently low-cost laundry services. If you’re visiting or residing in that country, you won’t have to wash or dry your clothes unless you want to. There are different ways how you do your laundry. You can go to laundry shops, self-service launderettes, or just stay in your house and do it by hand or own a washing machine.
戲 (Hei3)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]戲[/Speechword] – Movie
Sample Sentence: 我睇套新戲。(ngo5 tai2 tou3 san1 hei3.)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我睇套新戲[/Speechword] – I am watching a new movie.
Of course, after a long tiring day or week, you deserve to binge-watch your favorite series or movie. Having a movie night is a way to relax. With a Netflix subscription, you can surely watch your desired movie or series anytime you want. As of March 18, 2022, the overall top 10 Netflix films in Hong Kong are:
- Business Proposal
- Juvenile Justice
- The Adam Project
- Forecasting Love and Weather
- Twenty Five Twenty One
- Formula 1: Drive to Survive
- Thirty-Nine
- Inventing Anna
- Crash Landing on You
- What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim
電腦 (Din6 Nou5)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]電腦[/Speechword] – Computer
Sample Sentence: 我開電腦。(ngo5 hoi1 din6 nou5.)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我開電腦[/Speechword] – I turn on my computer.
This list of Cantonese common vocab in daily life will never be complete without learning the word computer 電腦 (din6 nou5). For a country as advanced as Hong Kong, computers are necessary. Whether it’s a laptop computer or a desktop computer, it would be helpful
瞓覺 (Fan3 gaau3)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]瞓覺[/Speechword] – Sleep
Sample Sentence: 我凌晨左右瞓覺。(ngo5 ling4 san4 zo2 jau2 fan3 gaau3.)[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我凌晨左右瞓覺[/Speechword] – I go to sleep around midnight.
At the end of the day, what we all seek is a peaceful and comfortable sleep. Getting a nice sleep is very important, especially if you’re working. If you’re just visiting Hong Kong, there are different types of accommodations that you can avail yourself of just to sleep comfortably. But, if you’re a night person, you’ll surely enjoy Hong Kong’s nightlife.
More Cantonese Common Vocab In Daily Life
Want some more vocabulary in daily life? Learn these basic and useful phrases, sentences, and words:
Cantonese Words
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English Translation |
| 鬧鐘 [Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]鬧鐘 [/Speechword] | naau6 zung1 | alarm clock |
| 書 [Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]書 [/Speechword] | syu1 | book |
| 晚飯 [Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]晚飯 [/Speechword] | maan5 faan6 | dinner |
| 座枱電腦 [Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]座枱電腦[/Speechword] | sai2 saam1 laam2 | laundry basket |
| 洗衣服務 [Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]洗衣服務[/Speechword] | sai2 ji1 fuk6 mou6 | laundry service |
| 投幣式洗衣店 [Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]投幣式洗衣店[/Speechword] | tau4 bai6 sik1 sai2 ji1 dim3 | coin laundry |
| 手提電腦 [Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]手提電腦[/Speechword] | sau2 tai4 din6 nau5 | laptop computer |
| 手提電話 [Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]手提電話[/Speechword] | sau2 tai4 din6 waa2 | mobile phone |
| 手機 [Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]手機[/Speechword] | sau2 gei1 | smartphone |
| 報紙 [Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]報紙[/Speechword] | bou3 zi2 | newspaper |
| 做運動 [Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]做運動[/Speechword] | zou6 wan6 dung6 | workout |
Cantonese Phrases And Sentences
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English Translation |
| 讀書。[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]讀書[/Speechword] | duk6 syu1. | Read books. |
| 讀報紙 [Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]讀報紙[/Speechword] | duk6 bou3 zi2 | read a newspaper |
| 我熄鬧鐘。[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我熄鬧鐘[/Speechword] | ngo5 sik1 naau6 zung1. | I turn off my alarm. |
| 我接個電話。[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我接個電話[/Speechword] | ngo5 zip3 go3 din6 waa2. | I receive a phone call. |
| 我開會。[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我開會[/Speechword] | ngo5 hoi1 wui5. | I am attending a meeting. |
| 我檢查電子郵件。[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我檢查電子郵件[/Speechword] | ngo5 gim2 caa4 din6 zi2 jau4 gin2. | I check my e-mail. |
| 我鎖門。[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我鎖門[/Speechword] | ngo5 so2 mun4. | I lock the door. |
| 我聽智能手機裡面嘅音樂。[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我聽智能手機裡面嘅音樂[/Speechword] | ngo5 teng1 zi3 nang4 sau2 gei1 leoi5 min6 ge3 jam1 ngok6. | I listen to music on my smartphone. |
| 我幫手機叉電。[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我幫手機叉電[/Speechword] | ngo5 bong1 sau2 gei1 caa1 din6. | I charge the battery on my phone. |
| 我諗聽日做咩。[Speechword voice=”Chinese (Hong Kong) Female” isinline]我諗聽日做咩[/Speechword] | ngo5 lam2 ting1 jat6 zou6 me1. | I plan for tomorrow. |
Speak The Cantonese Language Now!
Congratulations! You have finally reached this part of the blog because you’re in for a treat. After learning Cantonese common vocab in daily life, why not take one step forward and start learning Cantonese with Ling App? Imagine how great it would be to have dialogues with your Hong Konger friends in Cantonese?
If you wanna talk like locals, begin your Cantonese language journey with Ling App. With its advanced features and lessons backed with linguistic research, you’ll be able to achieve fluency in record time. So, grab your phone or computer and download Ling App now!
