Learning Cantonese again
## 🗺️ Getting Around Hong Kong: Essential Cantonese for Navigation
Navigating Hong Kong and asking for directions in Cantonese? Here’s your essential guide! 🇭🇰
🎯 How to Ask for Directions
Starting the conversation:
- 你好請問 (nei5 hou2 cing2 man6) - “Hello, excuse me, may I ask…”
- 阻你一陣 (zo2 nei5 jat1 zan6) - “Sorry to bother you for a moment”
- 打搞晒 (daa2 gaau2 saai3) - “Sorry for the trouble”
Key questions:
- [地點]點去啊? - “How do I get to [location]?”
- 我可以點去啊? (ngo5 ho2 ji5 dim2 heoi3 aa3) - “How can I get there?”
👥 Who to Address
- 先生 (sin1 saang1) - Sir/Mr.
- 小姐 (siu2 ze1) - Miss/Ms.
- 伯伯 (baak3 baak3) - Uncle (older man)
- 阿姐 (aa3 ze1) - Sister (woman)
🚇 Key Locations in Hong Kong
Popular destinations:
- 灣仔站 (waan1 zai2 zaam6) - Wan Chai Station 🚇
- 尖沙咀 (zim1 saa1 zeoi2) - Tsim Sha Tsui
- 尖沙咀星光大道 - Tsim Sha Tsui Avenue of Stars ⭐
- 中環 (zung1 waan4) - Central
- 中環蘭桂坊 - Central Lan Kwai Fong 🍻
- 銅鑼灣 (tung4 lo4 waan4) - Causeway Bay
- 時代廣場 (si4 doi6 gwong2 coeng4) - Times Square 🛍️
- 旺角 (wong6 gok3) - Mong Kok
- 旺角女人街 - Mong Kok Ladies’ Market 👗
- 通菜街 (tung1 coi3 gaai1) - Tung Choi Street
🛣️ Navigation Terms
Road features:
- 路口 (lou6 hau2) - Road intersection
- 十字路口 (sap6 zi6 lou6 hau2) - Cross intersection ➕
- 天橋 (tin1 kiu4) - Pedestrian bridge/overpass 🌉
- 巴士站 (baa1 si2 zaam6) - Bus station 🚌
Directions:
- 向前行 (hoeng3 cin4 haang4) - Go forward ⬆️
- 向後行 (hoeng3 hau6 haang4) - Go backward ⬇️
- 轉左邊 (zyun3 zo2 bin1) - Turn left ⬅️
- 轉右邊 (zyun3 jau6 bin1) - Turn right ➡️
- 直行 (zik6 haang4) - Go straight ⬆️
- 行到對面 (haang4 dou3 deoi3 min6) - Walk to the opposite side
- 轉頭 (zyun3 tau4) - Turn around/turn back 🔄
- 掉頭 (diu6 tau4) - Make a U-turn (for vehicles) 🚗
📏 Distance & Time
- 路程 (lou6 cing4) - Distance/journey
- 行一陣 (haang4 jat1 zan6) - Walk for a while
- 大概 (daai6 koi3) - Approximately
- 至少 (zi3 siu2) - At least
- 幾遠 (gei2 jyun5) - How far
- 兩分鐘 (loeng5 fan1 zung1) - Two minutes ⏰
🏪 Useful Landmarks
- 七仔 (cat1 zai2) - 7-Eleven 🏪
- 百佳 (baak3 gaai1) - PARKnSHOP 🛒
- M記 (M gei3) - McDonald’s 🍟
- 油站 (jau4 zaam6) - Gas station ⛽
- 扶手電梯 (fu4 sau2 din6 tai1) - Escalator
- 惠康 (wai6 hong1) - Wellcome supermarket 🛍️
- 萬寧 (maan6 ning4) - Mannings pharmacy 💊
- 屈臣氏 (wat1 san4 si6) - Watsons 🧴
- 大家樂 (daai6 gaa1 lok6) - Café de Coral 🍽️
- 茶餐廳 (caa4 caan1 teng1) - Cha chaan teng (tea restaurant) ☕
- 銀行 (ngan4 hong4) - Bank 🏦
- 郵局 (jau4 guk6) - Post office 📮
- 巴士站 (baa1 si2 zaam6) - Bus stop 🚌
- 港鐵站 (gong2 tit3 zaam6) - MTR station 🚇
- 的士站 (dik1 si2 zaam6) - Taxi stand 🚕
- 停車場 (ting4 ce1 coeng4) - Parking lot 🅿️
- 商場 (soeng1 coeng4) - Shopping mall 🛒
- 酒店 (zau2 dim3) - Hotel 🏨
- 醫院 (ji1 jyun2) - Hospital 🏥
- 學校 (hok6 haau6) - School 🏫
- 公園 (gung1 jyun2) - Park 🌳
- 圖書館 (tou4 syu1 gun2) - Library 📚
- 街市 (gaai1 si5) - Market/wet market 🐟
- 茶樓 (caa4 lau4) - Tea house/dim sum restaurant 🥟
- 藥房 (joek6 fong4) - Pharmacy 💉
💬 Sample Direction Conversation
你好請問,灣仔站點去啊? “Hello, excuse me, how do I get to Wan Chai Station?”
你係地鐵站出去轉左邊,見到路口直行,跟住有第二個路口轉右邊。左邊有七仔,直行差唔多兩分鐘就會到啦! “From the MTR station, exit and turn left, when you see the intersection go straight, then at the second intersection turn right. There’s a 7-Eleven on the left, walk straight for about two minutes and you’ll arrive!”
🎉 Pro Tips
- Always start with 你好請問 to be polite! 😊
- Use 打搞晒 to apologize for any inconvenience
- Look for landmarks like 七仔 or 百佳 - they’re everywhere!
- 大概 (approximately) is your friend when asking about time/distance