15+ Helpful Cantonese Relationship Vocabulary

Are you single 單身 Daan1 San1 or in a relationship拍拖 Paak3 To1? Being in love is one of the best feelings in the world. So, why not learn Cantonese relationship vocabulary? If you are ready for this, let’s start learning through this post.

Relationships are really important for human beings. Our relationships with other people are good for our mental and emotional health. They are also important for our survival. Remember the saying, “No man is an island”? This explains why relationships are really important, whether with our family members, friends, and even romantic relationships. W should maintain a network of social support.

The first relationship we have learned in our relationships with our relatives like father, mother, daughter 女 (neoi5), and son 仔 (zai2). If you want to learn how to say these in Cantonese, check out the Cantonese vocabulary about family. O r family is the first relationship we cherish. But as we grow older, we tend to expand our social network. We meet a lot of people.

As soon as young adulthood, relationships become a more complicated and bigger deal. It can dictate the kind of life that you will leave. So, here is some basic Cantonese relationship vocabulary to learn. Don t worry because if you don’t know Cantonese, every word and phrase you’ll learn have an English equivalent and romanization to help you with the pronunciation. This will help you as you go further with your language-learning journey.

Cantonese VS Mandarin

 關係 (Gwaan1 Hai6) VS 关系 (Guānxì) – Relationship

Learning about Cantonese relationship vocabulary is interesting, but before that, there’s something that you should learn. The Chinese language is one of the most spoken languages in the world. But the Chinese language that is commonly spoken in other Chinese countries is Mandarin. This is another kind of Chinese language aside from the Cantonese language we are learning now. So, if you have heard the word 關係 (Gwaan1 Hai6), it’s the Cantonese term for relationship. But if you have heard the term 关系 (Guānxì), it’s in Mandarin.

Cantonese is mainly spoken in Hong Kong and Guangdong Province in China, while Mandarin is mainly spoken in Mainland China. These two Chinese languages are very different from one another. Although they came from the same roots, they have different ways of writing and speaking. If you want to learn more, you can check out the blog that discusses the difference between Mandarin and Cantonese.

Common Cantonese Relationship Vocabulary

婚姻狀況 (Fan1 Jan1 Zong6 Fong3) – Relationship Status

Being in a romantic relationship is one of the greatest feelings globally, and Hong Kong is a perfect place to find one. Finding the right person that will make your heart race and make you happy can be challenging, but some might get lucky to find the right one easily.

Hong Kong, it’s not just a place where you can fall in love easily; it’s also the people. If you have to state your relationship status to someone by chance, the common Cantonese relationship vocabulary list below will help you. This can also be helpful when you’re applying for a job or during interviews.

單身 (Daan1 San1) – Single

The first Cantonese relationship vocabulary to learn is 單身 (Daan1 San1). Being single has both ups and downs. It depends on your personality. If you are independent and don’t need other people to make you happy, it’s okay to be single. Bei g single makes you appreciate the people around you more like friends, family, and colleagues. You can understand yourself more. Just remember, your relationship status doesn’t define who you are. When you’re single in Hong Kong, you don’t have someone.

朋友 (Pang4 Jau5) – Friends

When we hear the word “Friends,” this one show will always come into our minds first – Friends. Thi show tells us a lot about what friends should be to each other. They are there during your joyful times and will never leave your side even in your most challenging times. They sometimes argue, but they will figure out a way to forgive each other and make their friendship stronger if it’s true.

But, another beautiful thing that this show tells us is that friendship can be developed into a higher level. It may not work out for some, but it’s one of the most beautiful things in the world if it all worked out.

戀愛 (Lyun2 Oi3) – In Love

Another Cantonese relationship vocabulary is 戀愛 (Lyun2 Oi3). Nothing compares to the feeling of being in love. It keeps you inspired, reduces stress and anxiety, and makes you take care of yourself better. Eve y relationship starts from being in love and is maintained by staying in love. But you don’t always need to have a romantic relationship if you’re in love with someone. You’ e lucky if you can actually have a relationship but sometimes seeing your loved one happy, even if not in your arms, is already worth it.

一見鍾情 (Jat1 Gin3 Zung1 Cing4) – Love At First Sight

Some relationships started at love at first sight 一見鍾情 (jat1 gin3 zung1 cing4). It is when you meet a person, and you instantly click. Some don’t believe in love at first sight because you have to know a person before entering a relationship. But we cannot deny the joy of being enchanted by someone you have just seen for the first time.

情分 (Cing4 Fan6) – Mutual Affection

After learning how to say “love at first sight” in Cantonese, another interesting Cantonese relationship vocabulary is 情分 (Cing4 Fan6). Imagine how amazing it is when the person you like feels the same way about you. You can’t describe how great it feels, but one thing for sure is that you are both on the same page.

瘟 (Wan1) – Dating

Dating 瘟 (Wan1) is the part of the relationship where you meet each other. Take note that someone who has long-term goals and short-term goals may look and feel the same during the first few dates, so you have to watch out. It’s better to be clear because sometimes we are the ones who are creating our heartaches by expecting too much.

網戀 (Mong5 Lyun2) – Online Dating

Who would have thought that dating could be possible, even just with the use of the internet? If w will go back to the past generations, it doesn’t seem likely, but now, there are many online dating sites and apps that can help you make connections and find romantic partners. Tinder, Bumble, OkCupid, and Hinge are some of the most famous online dating platforms. But be careful because you might be a victim of catfishing and scams.

拍拖 (Paak3 To1) – In A Relationship

Of course, another important Cantonese relationship vocabulary to learn is “拍拖 (Paak3 To1)”. After getting to know each other and spending time together, it usually takes a matter of time to take your relationship with somebody to the next level. Being in a relationship requires commitment, effort, understanding, and patience. You should be ready because it won’t always be fun and happy. There will be challenges along the way. Remember, being in a relationship is not just about physical things like kissing, hugging, and dates. It’s all about being with someone who makes you feel cared for, accepted, and loved that nobody can.

訂婚 (Ding3 Fan1) – Engagement

The next step in having a strong and happy relationship is engagement 訂婚 (Ding3 Fan1). It’s the phase in a relationship when both agree to be married. Most of the time, men are the ones who are proposing, but since the world is changing, women can do that too. To propose, you can say “你願意嫁俾我嗎？nei5 jyun6 ji3 gaa3 bei2 ngo5 maa3?” which means “Will you marry me?”.

結咗婚 (Git3 Zo2 Fan1) – Married

The Cantonese word 結咗婚 (Git3 Zo2 Fan1) is also a must-learn Cantonese relationship vocabulary. Being married is a higher level of commitment. It is indeed the most powerful relationship because you are bounded for the rest of your life. Marr age will bring a lot of challenges. It’s not always a fairytale, but it is up to the both of you on how you’ll achieve your happily ever after. There’s no perfect marriage as there’s also no ideal person. But, marriage can be about two imperfect people who refuse to fight for their vows and never give up on each other.

複雜 (Fuk1 Zaap6) – Complicated

Have you ever got into a complicated relationship? It’s like you know that you’re more than just friends; you’re happy with each other, you go on dates, and you have something special going on. But, the only thing is that you both don’t know if you want to put a label on it to become a couple officially. It can also refer to the relationship you have; you are a couple, but you’re going through a hard time, but you don’t know if you still want to continue. Well, there’s no best solution for this than talking sincerely to each other because you might end up hurting each other.

拆分 (Caak3 Fan1) – Broken Up

The word 拆分 (Caak3 Fan1) is an important Cantonese relationship vocabulary that means “broken up.” Although nobody wants a breakup because it’s really painful, we cannot avoid it if it wasn’t truly meant to be. Some of the examples of break up words in Cantonese that you can use are “我哋做朋友算啦。ngo5 dei6 zou6 pang4 jau5 syun3 laa1.” (Let’s just be friends), 我諗我哋要分開下。ngo5 am2 ngo5 dei6 jiu3 fan1 hoi1 haa5.” (I think we need a break.), and 唔關你事，係我嘅問題。m4 gwaan1 nei5 si6, hai6 ngo5 ge3 man6 tai4.” (It’s not you. It’s me.).

There are lots of things that can cause a breakup. It’s the worst thing that can happen in a relationship. This is one of the hardest things to deal with. It can cause you a lot of heartaches but let’s accept that there are people we will meet just to teach something but not meant to stay. Always remember that when someone leaves s, someone else will arrive.

翻撻 (Faan1 Taat1) – Rekindle An Old Flame/ Get Back Together

Have you ever gotten back to your ex? Well there is a Cantonese word for that – 翻撻 (Faan1 Taat1). This is a Cantonese slang expression used when you get back with your ex after you have broken up. This means “to ignite again.”

離婚 (Lei4 Fan1) – Divorced/ To Get Divorced

Another painful Cantonese relationship vocabulary to learn is 離婚 (Lei4 Fan1). Some may think that marriage is the beginning of a happily ever after, but it’s sad to say that some marriages are not meant to last forever.

In some countries, there is no divorce, but in Hong Kong, a divorce may take 4-6 months, depending on the situation. Getting divorced is complicated, especially if you have children. So, make sure to do everything you can do to solve marital problems before deciding to give up your marriage.

寡婦 (Gwaa2 Fu5) – Widow

A widow is a woman whose husband died and has not remarried. Being a widow is very complicated, especially if you still have small children. Of course, you can always remarry, but that might not be very easy, and it might also take a long time before you can move on.

 熟人 (Suk6 Jan4) – Acquaintance

Hong Kong is a perfect place to meet other people. You can have a lot of acquaintances once you get along with their culture. Learning about Cantonese greetings and knowing how to introduce yourself can be beneficial.

Other Cantonese Relationship Vocabulary

Cantonese Slang Words Used In Relationship

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