Saying Good night in Cantonese (早抖 / zou2 dau2) is as important as saying Good morning (早晨 / zou2 san4). Greeting someone Good morning (早晨 / zou2 san4) is a good way to start the day because it can easily lighten up someone else’s mood.
On the other hand, Good night (早抖 / zou2 dau2) is a phrase for ending the day. 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.
A good night can mean different things. People who often say Good night are really thoughtful and polite. 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.
Different Ways To Say Good Night In Cantonese
Greetings like Good morning, Good afternoon, Good evening, and Good night are part of daily conversation. This is the reason why greetings are very important to learn. Because Hong Kong is a Chinese country, people use the Chinese language, mainly Cantonese, not Mandarin.
So if you are planning to visit Hong Kong and you want to learn how to say Good night in Cantonese, check the different ways below that can help you communicate with the locals:
1. 早抖 (Zou2 Dau2)
If you would like to greet someone Good night in Cantonese, use 早抖 (zou2 dau2). This literally means “Good night” in English. It is used in an informal setting where 早 means “early” in English and 抖 means “rest.” This phrase is used if you are planning to sleep soon.
2. 晚安 (Maan5 On1)
Another way of saying Good night in Cantonese is 晚安 (maan5 on1). In English, this 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 but you are not planning to sleep anytime sooner, 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.)
Letting people know that you have enjoyed the rest of the evening with them will make their hearts skip a bit. This expression means “That was a great evening.” in English. Try saying this and see how it magically puts a smile on their faces.
4. 或者我哋應該hold一hold先，聽日再試。(Waak6 Ze2 Ngo5 Dei6 Jing1 Goi1 HOLD Jat1 HOLD Sin1, Ting1 Jat6 Zoi3 Si3)
You may experience working late with your colleagues or classmates but you don’t have much energy to continue. You can say this expression to end the evening. This means “Maybe we should sleep on this and try again tomorrow.”
5. 做好夢吧 (Zou6 Hou2 Mung6 Baa1)
Wishing someone a good dream is also a common way to say Good night. This phrase means “Have a good dream” in English. Of course, good dreams can bring you extra happiness in the morning when you wake up.
6. 我唔需要天堂因為我已經搵到你。我唔需要夢想因為我已經擁有你。(Ngo5 M4 Seoi1 Jiu3 Tin1 Tong4 Jan1 Wai6 Ngo5 Ji5 Ging1 Wan2 Dou2 Nei5. Ngo5 M4 Seoi1 Jiu3 Mung6 Soeng2 Jan1 Wai6 Ngo5 Ji5 Ging1 Jung2 Jau5 Nei5.)
Of course, you can also be romantic especially when you are talking with your special someone. If you like to for a little extra, try using sweet words to let him/her know that you think of them before you go to sleep. This expression means “I don’t need paradise because I found you. I don’t need dreams because I have you.”
Most people will agree that greeting somebody Good night is a polite and thoughtful thing to say. 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.
Cantonese Words And Phrases Related To Sleeping Time
Aside from saying Good night, try learning some Cantonese words and phrases related to sleeping time. If you are planning to go to Hong Kong or if you meet a Hong Konger, it is nice to learn Cantonese words and phrases like the following:
Saying Good night is also an essential greeting like Good morning, Good afternoon, and Good evening. 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?
Going To Hong Kong? Learn Cantonese Now!
Having a hard time understanding and pronouncing different Chinese characters? Are you planning to go to Hong Kong, but you don’t know Cantonese? Worry no more because the Ling app can help you learn Cantonese and other languages. Yes, English might be enough to communicate with many people worldwide, but learning languages can open doors to bigger possibilities and opportunities. Just click the links in these blogs or search them on the internet, and you can learn different languages anywhere and anytime you want. What are you waiting for? Start learning languages now!
