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Learning cantonese again, this time shopping
10 min read
Cantonese
Shopping in Cantonese: Essential Vocabulary Guide
Here's a comprehensive summary of shopping-related Cantonese terms with their English translations:
General Shopping Terms
| 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 |
Shopping Preferences
| 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