Watching the stars at night while drinking coffee is one of the best things in life. So, why don’t we learn some Cantonese space vocab 太空 (taai3 hung1)?
Hong Kong is one of the most developed countries in the world. So it is no surprise that the day will come that Hong Kong Made satellite is now getting ready to debut in 2022. With this, it will be beneficial and timely to start learning Cantonese words and phrases related to space or spaceship.
Traditional Chinese VS Simplified Chinese
It is no doubt that the influence of Chinese culture all over the world is huge. From food, we eat down to the language. But, some people are not aware that there are actually different Chinese languages that are spoken not just in Mainland China but also in different countries. Two of these Chinese languages are Mandarin and Cantonese language.
太空 Taai3 Hung1 VS Tài Kōng
Before we learn different Cantonese Space vocab, let us first discover the difference between Cantonese and Mandarin. If you look at the words above, you’ll notice that these words are identical with each other, but they are actually different in many ways. For example, the word Taai3 Hung1 is the Cantonese word for “Space.” On the other hand, the word “Tài Kōng” is the Mandarin word for space also.
Take note that these two languages are both Chinese languages, but they have lots of differences. For example, Cantonese is spoken mainly in Hong Kong, while Mandarin is spoken mainly in Mainland China.
Compared to Mandarin, Cantonese has more tones. The Chinese characters are also written in different ways. This is the reason why it is somehow easier to learn Mandarin compared to Cantonese. If you want to know more about the difference between Cantonese and Mandarin, check out a blog specifically written for this topic.
Basic Cantonese Space Vocab
As the new technology is taking its leap to greatness, accessing the space for human becomes easier compared to the old times. Now, there are many astronauts and people who are unraveling the mystery of the universe and other details related to space and the universe. So, it will surely be worth it to learn different words and phrases related to space.
Join me as we discover and create our own dictionary of Cantonese space vocab.
太空 (Taai3 Hung1)
English Meaning: Space
The first Cantonese space vocab that we will learn is space 太空 (taai3 hung1). In Hong Kong, there’s this place called Hong Kong Space Museum where you can enjoy different activities about space. So, if you love space and you happen to be visiting Tsim Sha Tsui, don’t forget to visit the Hong Kong Space Museum. This is one of the places you should not miss is the Hong Kong Space Museum. We all know that space isn’t easy to reach for most people, but we will have ideas and experiences about space with this. Here are some fun activities you can do in Hong Kong Space Museum:
- Hong Kong Space Museum Exhibition
- The World Under Lens – From Stars to Microorganisms
- Astronomy Film Show
- Astronomy Carnival
- Astronomical Telescope Making
- Moon Landing Workshop
- Astronomy Happy Hour – Lunar Observation
- Hong Kong Space Museum Starry Sky Tour
- Lunar Lamp DIY
- Hong Kong Space Museum Muse Fest
太空船 (Taai3 Hung1 Syun4)
English Meaning: Spaceship
The next Cantonese space vocab that we will learn is spaceship 太空船 (Taai3 Hung1 Syun4). Just like what is said above, Hong Kong is about to launch a Hong Kong-made satellite, which will mark in their history. As Space X founder Elon Musk’s net worth continues to rise, the Hong Kong Aerospace Technology Group made a highly positive announcement earlier, disclosing the details of a strategic sale and purchase between HKATG and CGWIC.
天文望遠鏡 (Tin1 Man4 Mong6 Yun5 Geng3)
English Meaning: Telescope
Every aspiring astronomer has their own telescope in their room. It can make them see things from afar and enjoy the beautiful sky before they sleep. So, the next Cantonese space vocab that we will learn is the telescope 天文望遠鏡 (Tin1 Man4 Mong6 Yun5 Geng3). Since we are talking about telescopes, let us also discover some stargazing places in Hong Kong.
- Cape D’Aguilar
- Hong Kong Space Museum Astropark
- Lamma Island
- Sai Yuen Farm
- Sunset Peak
小行星帶 (Sing1 Kau4) – Planet
English Meaning: Planet
We cannot talk about space without learning about the planets 小行星帶 (Sing1 Kau4). One interesting thing about planets is the “Parade of the Five Planets.” The “Parade of the Five Planets” occurs infrequently, and each parade’s configuration of the five planets is unique. The five planets came relatively close to each other during the last procession, which took place from late April to early May 2002.
On May 12, 2002, the annular gap between the planets projected on the ecliptic with the Sun at the center was only about 33 degrees. The “Parade of the Five Planets” takes place every year from late March to early April. All five planets can be seen in Hong Kong after sunset.
太空人 (Taai3 Hung1 Yan4) – Astronaut
English Meaning: Astronaut
We shouldn’t forget to learn the Cantonese word for astronaut 太空人 (Taai3 Hung1 Yan4). One interesting thing about astronauts in Hong Kong is the video call that happened last September 13, 2021. Onboard the Tiangong space station, Chinese astronauts have a live video conversation with Hong Kong youth. Hong Kong students said it is “incredible” and “surreal,” which motivates them to learn more.
Other Cantonese Space Vocab
| Cantonese | Jyutping | English Translation |
| 水星 | seoi2 sing1 | Mercury |
| 金星 | gam1 sing1 | Venus |
| 地球 | dei6 kau4 | Earth |
| 火星 | fo2 sing1 | Mars |
| 木星 | muk6 sing1 | Jupiter |
| 土星 | tou2 sing1 | Saturn |
| 天王星 | tin1 wong4 sing1 | Uranus |
| 海王星 | hoi2 wong4 sing1 | Neptune |
| 冥王星 | ming5 wong4 sing1 | Pluto |
| 天文學家 | tin1 man4 hok6 gaa1 | astronomer |
| 外星人 | ngoi6 sing1 jan4 | alien |
| 大氣層 | daai6 hei3 chang4 | atmosphere |
| 小行星帶 | siu2 hang4 sing1 daai2 | asteroid belt |
| 黑洞 | hak1 dung6 | black hole |
| 渾天儀 | wan4 tin1 ji4 | celestial globe |
| 星座 | sing1 zo6 | constellation |
| 彗星 | seoi6 sing1 | comet |
| 滿月 | mun5 yut6 | full moon |
| 銀河系 | ngan4 ho4 hai6 | galaxy |
| 夸克 | kwaa1 hak1 | quark |
| 緯度 | wai5 dou6 | latitude |
| 經度 | ging1 dou6 | longitude |
| 光年 | gwong1 nin4 | light year |
| 月蝕 | yut6 sik6 | lunar eclipse |
| 日蝕 | yat6 sik6 | Solar eclipse |
| 銀河 | ngan4 ho4 | Milky Way |
| 月亮 | jyut6 loeng6 | moon |
| 子午線 | zi2 ng5 sin3 | meridian |
| 星雲 | sing1 wan4 | nebula |
| 新星 | san1 sing1 | nova |
| 軌道 | gwai2 dou6 | orbit |
| 太空館 | taai3 hung1 gun2 | planetarium |
| 火箭 | fo2 jin3 | rocket |
| 國際太空站 | gwok3 zai3 taai3 hung1 zaam6 | International Space Station |
| 太陽 | taai3 joeng4 | sun |
| 明星 | ming4 sing1 | star |
| 天空 | tin1 hung1 | sky |
| 衛星 | wai6 sing1 | satellite |
| 太陽系 | taai3 yeung4 hai6 | solar system |
| 太空船 | aai3 hung1 syun4 | space shuttle |
| 太空飛機 | taai3 hung1 fei1 gei1 | paceplane |
| 超新星 | ciu1 san1 sing1 | supernova |
| 外太空 | ngoi6 taai3 hung1 | outer space |
| 宇宙 | yu5 jau6 | the universe |
Talk To Millions Of People. Learn Cantonese!
There are currently 62 million people who speak Cantonese in the whole world. One country that mainly speaks Cantonese is Hong Kong, one of the “Asian Tigers.” This means that learning Cantonese will surely be worth it. With Ling App, you can learn Cantonese in a fun but meaningful way.
First, you can choose from a wide range of topics that suits your interest. What’s amazing is that you can learn while you play because Ling App has a gamification feature that will keep you motivated. Audio recordings from native speakers are also available, and you can use what you have learned to chat with chatbots. It’s like talking to a native speaker.
Say goodbye to the struggles and inconvenience because you can learn Cantonese anytime and anywhere with Ling App downloaded on your mobile phone. Learn Cantonese with Ling App now and connect to more people in the world!
