Celebrating the success of someone close to you? Common! Let’s celebrate, say cheers, and Congratulations in Cantonese! (恭喜 | Gung1 Hei2).
Celebrating success, whether it’s big or small, is really important. Aside from it makes us feel happy about ourselves, it also motivates us to do more and be better every day. We also say Congratulations on new journeys in life because why not? Graduation, promotion, wedding, pregnancy, and even retirement are life blessings worth celebrating, and in Hong Kong, there’s always room for celebration (慶祝 hing3 juk1).
So, give yourself a tap on the back because if you’re trying to learn how to say Congratulations in Cantonese, you’re actually in the right place. However, if you want to learn more, you may visit Ling App and learn other Cantonese words and phrases.
Mandarin Chinese VS Cantonese:
Before we dive into our actual lesson, let’s first make everything clear. Mandarin and Cantonese are two different languages. Although they are both Chinese languages, they have many differences in spoken and written language.
First, Cantonese is widely spoken in Hong Kong, while Mandarin is widely spoken in Mainland China. Cantonese is also called Traditional Chinese, while Mandarin is called Simplified Chinese. Chinese languages use Pinyin and Jyutping to help learners, especially those English native speakers, to read it properly. At first glance, you’ll barely notice the difference between the characters, especially if you are not familiar with Chinese languages. Cantonese also has more tones than Mandarin Chinese; no wonder why it is called Traditional Chinese.
Now, if you have encountered the expression “恭喜你 (gōng xǐ nǐ), remember that it’s Mandarin, not Cantonese. So, there you go! I believe that you are all set up to learn how to say Congratulations in Cantonese. Let’s begin!
How To Congratulate People In the Cantonese Language
Hong Kong will not be one of the 4 Asian Tigers for nothing. From the economic success, Olympic (奥林匹克 ou3 lam4 pat1 haak1) wins, and even small successes like being promoted to a job, Hong Kongers really know how to find their way up. That is why in this blog, we will learn different expressions to say Congratulations in Cantonese.
1. 恭喜 (Gung1 Hei2)
English Translation: Congratulations
This is the commonly used Cantonese expression when you want to congratulate someone. You can use it to greet your friends and colleague. 恭喜 (Gung1 Hei2) is composed of two words. The meaning of the Chinese character 恭 (Gung1) is “respectful” or “deferential,” and 喜 (Hei2) means “happy.”
2. 非常好 (Fei1 Soeng4 Hou2)
English Translation: Excellent
Another way to say Congratulations in Cantonese is by saying “非常好 (Fei1 Soeng4 Hou2)”. Remember that praises you got from your boss when you did a good job? This is an example of praise and comment that will lighten your mood. Being praised is like a way of congratulating a person for a job well done.
3. 精彩 (Zing1 Coi2)
English Translation: Amazing!
Sometimes’s you’ll receive compliments such as “精彩 (Zing1 Coi2)” for the things you did or services you offered. This is another way of congratulating someone. These types of comments will also give confidence and a feeling of being appreciated by a person.
4. 最大好嘅祝福 (Zeoi3 Daai6 Hou2 Ge3 Zuk1 Fuk1)
English Translation: Best wishes!
Is it your birthday? Have you been promoted? Have you been married? Pretty sure that you had heard these phrases when you celebrated one of the things mentioned above. This expression is generally used in different situations. It is a sign of humility and kindness that you can offer to your friend or colleague.
5. 恭喜你畢業，亦都祝福你下一場旅程！ (Gung1 Hei2 Nei5 Bat1 Jip6, Jik6 Dou1 zuk1 Fuk1 Nei5 Haa6 Jat1 Coeng4 Leoi5 Cing4)
English Translation: Congratulations on your graduation, and best wishes for your next adventure!
Did you know that education in Hong Kong is free? This proves that the Hong Kong Government really values education to help the locals become worthy citizens of the country. That is why congratulating a person who graduated is a nice thing to do.
6. 升職快樂！ (Sing1 Zik1 Faai3 Lok6)
English Translation: Happy promotion!
Let’s be more specific. If you happen to work in Hong Kong, which is an amazing opportunity, by the way, and you’ll get a promotion (升職 sing1 jik1), it will surely be one of the greatest achievements in your life. Anyone who’ll get promoted in one of the most developed countries in the world deserves a warm congratulation. So, 升職快樂！ (Sing1 Zik1 Faai3 Lok6) is the perfect expression to use in a conversation.
7. 恭喜恭喜，鴻圖大展，步步高升！ (Gung1 Hei2 Gung1 Hei2, Hung4 Tou4 Daai6 Zin2, Bou6 Bou6 Gou1 Sing1)
English Translation: Congratulations! I wish you more advancement and progress in the near future!
Another way to greet somebody for their promotion is the phrase 恭喜恭喜，鴻圖大展，步步高升！ (Gung1 Hei2 Gung1 Hei2, Hung4 Tou4 Daai6 Zin2, Bou6 Bou6 Gou1 Sing1). This is a way to express that you are proud and happy for the achievement that the other person received. Take note, living in Hong Kong is definitely not as easy as pie. So, just the concept of being promoted is already an achievement worth celebrating.
8. 恭喜晒！祝你哋幸福！ (Zuk1 Nei5 Gwong1 Wing4 Teoi3 Jau1)
English Translation: Congratulations! I wish you happiness!
Graduated from school, having a stable job, what else can you wish for? Of course, it’s settling down with the one you love. Getting married is another life milestone that is worth celebrating. If you happen to know someone who will be getting married, this is the phrase that you can say to them or write on a greeting card. Fun fact, many locals choose to live with their parents because houses in Hong Kong are really expensive.
9. 新婚快樂，早生貴子！ (San1 Fan1 Faai3 Lok6, Zou2 Saang1 Gwai3 Zi2)
English Translation: Happy marriage, and may you have a lovely baby early!
Getting married is really a milestone, but having a baby is also being celebrated by most people. You can use the phrase 新婚快樂，早生貴子！ (San1 Fan1 Faai3 Lok6, Zou2 Saang1 Gwai3 Zi2) to say Congratulations in Cantonese to the couple who will soon have their baby.
10. 祝您光榮退休 (Zuk1 Nei5 Gwong1 Wing4 Teoi3 Jau1)
English Translation: Best wishes as you retire!
Another way to say Congratulations in Cantonese is 祝您光榮退休 ( Zuk1 Nei5 Gwong1 Wing4 Teoi3 Jau1). But, this one is different because it’s for a friend who will be ending their work journey to start their retirement life. Did you know that Hong Kongers have the longest life expectancy in the world, according to the National Academy of Medicine?
How To Respond?
Do1 Ze6 (多謝) – Thank You.
Now that you have learned the different ways to say Congratulations in Cantonese, it would be better to know how to answer when someone congratulates you. There are different ways to respond when someone congratulates you, but the most common is saying “Thank you” or Do1 Ze6 (多謝) in Cantonese. This way, you’ll be able to express your gratitude to someone who congratulated you.
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