Here’s a comprehensive summary of shopping-related Cantonese terms with their English translations:
| Cantonese |
Jyutping |
English |
| 買嘢 |
maai5 je5 |
shopping / buying things |
| 行街 |
haang4 gaai1 |
go shopping / walking around (literally “walk street”) |
| 買單 |
maai5 daan1 |
pay the bill / check out |
| 幾多錢 |
gei2 do1 cin2 |
how much money / how much does it cost |
| 掃貨 |
sou3 fo3 |
go on a shopping spree / bulk buying |
| 入貨 |
jap6 fo3 |
restock / get new inventory |
| 清貨 |
cing1 fo3 |
clearance sale |
| 劈價 |
pek3 gaa3 |
slashed prices / heavy discount |
Clothing & Accessories
| Cantonese |
Jyutping |
English |
| 衫 |
saam1 |
shirt / top / clothing |
| 褲 |
fu3 |
pants / trousers |
| 着衫 |
zoek3 saam1 |
wear clothes / get dressed |
| 裙 |
kwan4 |
skirt / dress |
| 鞋 |
haai4 |
shoes |
| 襪 |
mat6 |
socks |
| 底衫 |
dai2 saam1 |
undershirt / base layer |
| 底褲 |
dai2 fu3 |
underwear |
| 外套 |
ngoi6 tou3 |
jacket / coat |
| 褸 |
lau1 |
jacket / coat (more casual term) |
| 恤衫 |
seot1 saam1 |
dress shirt |
| T恤 |
ti1 seot1 |
T-shirt |
| 牛仔褲 |
ngau4 zai2 fu3 |
jeans |
| 短褲 |
dyun2 fu3 |
shorts |
| 波鞋 |
bo1 haai4 |
sneakers / athletic shoes |
| 皮鞋 |
pei4 haai4 |
leather shoes |
| 涼鞋 |
loeng4 haai4 |
sandals |
| 拖鞋 |
to1 haai4 |
slippers / flip-flops |
Food & Fresh Goods
| Cantonese |
Jyutping |
English |
| 生果 |
saang1 gwo2 |
fruit |
| 郁肉 |
juk1 juk6 |
meat |
| 新鮮 |
san1 sin1 |
fresh |
| 凍肉 |
dung3 juk6 |
frozen meat |
| 雪藏 |
syut3 cong4 |
frozen / refrigerated |
| 餸菜 |
sung3 coi3 |
ingredients for cooking / dishes |
| 海鮮 |
hoi2 sin1 |
seafood |
| 街市 |
gaai1 si5 |
wet market |
| 過期 |
gwo3 kei4 |
expired |
| 有效期 |
jau5 haau6 kei4 |
expiry date / validity period |
Personal Care Products
| Cantonese |
Jyutping |
English |
| 牙刷 |
ngaa4 caat3 |
toothbrush |
| 洗頭水 |
sai2 tau4 seoi2 |
shampoo (literally “wash head water”) |
| 沐浴露 |
muk6 juk6 lou6 |
body wash / shower gel |
| 梘 |
gaan2 |
soap |
| 牙膏 |
ngaa4 gou1 |
toothpaste |
| 護髮素 |
wu6 faat3 sou3 |
conditioner |
| 面膜 |
min6 mok6 |
face mask |
| 潤膚膏 |
jeon6 fu1 gou1 |
moisturizer / body lotion |
| 爽膚水 |
song2 fu1 seoi2 |
toner |
| 卸妝 |
se3 zong1 |
makeup remover / remove makeup |
| 化妝品 |
faa3 zong1 ban2 |
cosmetics |
| 紙巾 |
zi2 gan1 |
tissue paper |
| 廁紙 |
ci3 zi2 |
toilet paper |
Bargaining & Pricing
| Cantonese |
Jyutping |
English |
| 有冇得平啲呀 |
jau5 mou5 dak1 peng4 di1 aa3 |
can you give some discounts |
| 雞砰啲 |
gai1 paang1 di1 |
cheaper (colloquial) |
| 折扣 |
zit3 kau3 |
discount |
| 有冇得打折 |
jau5 mou5 dak1 daa2 zit3 |
can you give a discount |
| 呢個價錢太貴啦 |
ni1 go3 gaa3 cin2 taai3 gwai3 laa1 |
this price is too expensive |
| 埋單幾多 |
maai4 daan1 gei2 do1 |
how much is the total |
| 計數 |
gai3 sou3 |
calculate / tally up |
| 找錢 |
zaau2 cin2 |
give change |
| 找返 |
zaau2 faan1 |
return change |
| 散紙 |
saan2 zi2 |
small change / coins |
| 銀紙 |
ngan4 zi2 |
banknotes / bills |
| 八折 |
baat3 zit3 |
20% off (literally “8 discount” = 80% of original) |
| 半價 |
bun3 gaa3 |
half price |
| 買一送一 |
maai5 jat1 zung3 jat1 |
buy one get one free |
| 抵買 |
dai2 maai5 |
good value / worth buying |
| 超值 |
ciu1 zik6 |
great value / bargain |
Trying Clothes & Sizing
| Cantonese |
Jyutping |
English |
| 有咩碼數 |
jau5 me1 maa5 sou3 |
what sizes do you have |
| 更衣室 / 試衣間 |
gang1 ji1 sat1 / si3 ji1 gaan1 |
changing room / fitting room |
| 有無大啲嘅 |
jau5 mou5 daai6 di1 ge3 |
do you have a bigger one |
| 有無細啲嘅 |
jau5 mou5 sai3 di1 ge3 |
do you have a smaller one |
| 試衫 |
si3 saam1 |
try on clothes |
| 啱着 |
ngaam1 zoek3 |
fits well |
| 唔啱着 |
m4 ngaam1 zoek3 |
doesn’t fit |
| 鬆 |
sung1 |
loose |
| 緊 |
gan2 |
tight |
| 長 |
coeng4 |
long |
| 短 |
dyun2 |
short |
| 闊 |
fut3 |
wide |
| 窄 |
zaak3 |
narrow |
| S碼 |
es maa5 |
size S (small) |
| M碼 |
em maa5 |
size M (medium) |
| L碼 |
el maa5 |
size L (large) |
| 加大碼 |
gaa1 daai6 maa5 |
plus size / extra large |
| Cantonese |
Jyutping |
English |
| 鍾意 |
zung1 ji3 |
like |
| 好撚正 |
hou2 lan2 zeng3 |
really awesome / super cool (vulgar slang) |
| 款式 |
fun2 sik1 |
style / design |
| 質料 |
zat1 liu2 |
material / fabric quality |
| 製造 |
zai3 zou6 |
manufacture / made |
| 顏色 |
ngaan4 sik1 |
color |
| 我想自己望一望 |
ngo5 soeng2 zi6 gei2 mong6 jat1 mong6 |
let me look around by myself |
| 我想自己睇下 |
ngo5 soeng2 zi6 gei2 tai2 haa5 |
let me see/browse by myself |
| 淨係睇 |
zing6 hai6 tai2 |
just looking / browsing |
| 襯色 |
can3 sik1 |
color matching / coordinating colors |
| 襯衫 |
can3 saam1 |
match clothes / coordinate outfit |
| 剪裁 |
zin2 coi4 |
tailoring / cut |
| 限量版 |
haan6 loeng6 baan2 |
limited edition |
| 絕版 |
zyut6 baan2 |
out of print / discontinued |
| 過時 |
gwo3 si4 |
outdated / out of fashion |
| 潮流 |
ciu4 lau4 |
trendy / fashionable |
| 復古 |
fuk6 gu2 |
retro / vintage |
Payment & Returns
| Cantonese |
Jyutping |
English |
| 碌卡 |
luk1 kaat1 |
swipe/use card (literally “slide card”) |
| 現金 |
jin6 gam1 |
cash |
| 可唔可以換 |
ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 wun6 |
can I exchange/change it |
| 退換 |
teoi3 wun6 |
return/exchange |
| 八達通 |
baat3 daat6 tung1 |
Octopus card (HK transit/payment card) |
| 拍卡 |
paak3 kaat1 |
tap card (contactless payment) |
| 電子錢包 |
din6 zi2 cin2 doi2 |
e-wallet / digital wallet |
| Alipay |
支付寶 (zi1 fu6 bou2) |
Alipay |
| WeChat Pay |
|
WeChat Pay |
| PayMe |
|
PayMe (HK mobile payment) |
| FPS |
轉數快 (zyun2 sou3 faai3) |
FPS (Faster Payment System) |
| 轉數 |
zyun2 sou3 |
bank transfer |
| 收據 |
sau1 geoi3 |
receipt |
| 發票 |
faat3 piu3 |
invoice |
| 單據 |
daan1 geoi3 |
receipt / voucher |
| 保養期 |
bou2 joeng5 kei4 |
warranty period |
| 退貨 |
teoi3 fo3 |
return goods |
| 換貨 |
wun6 fo3 |
exchange goods |
| 七日鮮 |
cat1 jat6 sin1 |
7-day return policy (literally “7 days fresh”) |
| 唔包退換 |
m4 baau1 teoi3 wun6 |
no returns or exchanges |
Store Types & Locations
| Cantonese |
Jyutping |
English |
| 商場 |
soeng1 coeng4 |
shopping mall |
| 百貨公司 |
baak3 fo3 gung1 si1 |
department store |
| 超市 |
ciu1 si5 |
supermarket |
| 便利店 |
bin6 lei6 dim3 |
convenience store |
| 專門店 |
zyun1 mun4 dim3 |
specialty store |
| 連鎖店 |
lin4 so2 dim3 |
chain store |
| 樓上舖 |
lau4 soeng6 pou3 |
upstairs shop (often cheaper boutiques) |
| 地舖 |
dei6 pou3 |
ground floor shop |
| 格仔舖 |
gaak3 zai2 pou3 |
stall rental shop (small cubicles) |
| 夜冷 |
je6 laang5 |
night market (slang) |
| 女人街 |
neoi5 jan4 gaai1 |
Ladies’ Market (famous HK market) |
| 波鞋街 |
bo1 haai4 gaai1 |
Sneaker Street (Fa Yuen Street, HK) |
Product Conditions & Descriptions
| Cantonese |
Jyutping |
English |
| 全新 |
cyun4 san1 |
brand new |
| 二手 |
ji6 sau2 |
second-hand / used |
| 水貨 |
seoi2 fo3 |
parallel imports / grey market goods |
| 行貨 |
haang4 fo3 |
official imports / authentic goods with local warranty |
| 假貨 |
gaa2 fo3 |
counterfeit / fake goods |
| A貨 |
ei maa5 fo3 |
knock-off / replica (high quality fake) |
| 爛 |
laan6 |
broken / damaged |
| 花咗 |
faa1 zo2 |
scratched / damaged surface |
| 甩色 |
lat1 sik1 |
faded / color coming off |
| 縮水 |
suk1 seoi2 |
shrunk (fabric) |
| 起毛粒 |
hei2 mou4 nap1 |
pilling (fabric) |
| 甩線 |
lat1 sin3 |
thread coming loose |
Pro tips:
- When asking “碌卡得唔得?” (luk1 kaat1 dak1 m4 dak1), you’re asking “Can I pay by card?”
- “八折” (baat3 zit3) means 20% off because you pay 80% of the original price - the number indicates what you pay, not what you save!
- In Hong Kong, “樓上舖” lau4 soeng6 pou3 (upstairs shops) are often much cheaper than ground floor stores for the same items
- “水貨” vs “行貨” is crucial for electronics - water goods are cheaper but may not have local warranty or proper voltage
計 <- ngukur, hitung
材質
咖啡色
保養
