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HKU Cantonese, Room B801, 8/F, Run Run Shaw Tower, Centennial Campus, The University of, Pok Fu Lam (2026)

17/10/2026

The core meaning of 曬 (saai3) is “to shine upon” or “to expose in the sun”, but in colloquial Cantonese, it has also evolved into a very popular slang term for showing off or proudly displaying something!

1. Literal usage: Sun exposure

我鍾意喺露台曬太陽。
ngo5 zung1 ji3 hai2 lou6 toi4 saai3 taai3 joeng4.
(I)(like)(at)(balcony)(sunbathe)
I like sunbathing on the balcony.

今日好天，好適合喺屋頂曬衫。
gam1 jat6 hou2 tin1, hou2 sik1 hap6 hai2 uk1 deng2 saai3 saam1.
(today)(good weather),(very)(suitable)(at)(rooftop)(sun-dry)(clothes)
The weather is nice today, perfect for drying clothes on the roof.

2. Slang: Showing Off and flaunting
e.g. 曬命 (saai3 meng6) - lit. to shine life.
= to show off one's good fortune / life

佢成日喺網上曬命，真係好煩。
keoi5 seng4 jat6 hai2 mong5 soeng6 saai3 meng6, zan1 hai6 hou2 faan4.
(s/he)(always)(at)(internet)(show off),(really is)(very)(annoying)
They are always showing off online; it's really annoying.

有啲情侶日日都喺網上 post 相曬幸福。
jau5 di1 cing4 leoi5 jat6 jat6 dou1 hai2 mong5 soeng6 post soeng2 saai3 hang6 fuk1.
(have)(Pl.)(couples)(day day)(all)(at)(online)(post)(photos)(show-off)(happiness)
Some couples post photos online every single day to show off their happy relationship.

佢專登揸車嚟接我哋，就係為咗曬佢架法拉利。
keoi5 zyun1 dang1 zaa1 ce1 lai4 zip3 ngo5 dei6, zau6 hai6 wai6 zo2 saai3 keoi5 gaa3 faat3 laai1 lei2.
(s/he)(intentional)(drive car)(come)(pick up)(us),(just is)(for)(show off)(s/he)(Cl.)(Ferrari)
S/he specifically drove over to pick us up just to flex her/his Ferrari.

13/09/2026

精 zeng1 and 正 zeng3 are two common colloquial words in Cantonese to describe something/someone good and pleasant. Both adjectives share the exact same starting consonant and ending rhyme, but the difference in tone entirely changes the meaning! Do you know how to tell them apart?

1. 精 zeng1: Clever, cunning
It describes someone who is sharp, shrewd, street-smart, or even a bit calculating. It is usually a compliment, but it also depends on context and perspective.

冬天買夏天衫，平好多，你話我精唔精？
dung1 tin1 maai5 haa6 tin1 saam1, peng4 hou2 do1, nei5 waa6 ngo5 zeng1 m4 zeng1?
(winter)(buy)(summer)(clothes),(cheap)(very)(much),(you)(say)(I)(smart)(not)(smart)?
Buying summer clothes in winter is much cheaper, won’t you say I'm smart?

我同事好精，公司一忙佢就放病假。
ngo5 tung4 si6 hou2 zeng1, gung1 si1 jat1 mong4, keoi5 zau6 fong3 beng6 gaa3.
(my)(colleague)(very)(cunning),(company)(once)(busy),(s/he)(then)(take)(sick leave).
My colleague is very sneaky. Every time the company gets busy, s/he takes sick leave.

而家啲細路仲精過大人，唔容易教喇！
ji4 gaa1 di1 sai3 lou6 zung6 zeng1 gwo3 daai6 jan4, m4 jung4 ji6 gaau3 laa3!
(now)(Pl.)(kids)(even)(smart)(-er)(than)(adults), (not)(easy)(teach)(PARTICLE)
Kids nowadays are even sharper than adults. They aren't easy to teach anymore!

2. 正 zeng3: Cool, awesome
It is a colloquial reading of 正 zing3, which is also a word for “upright and proper”. When the sound is changed to zeng3, it becomes a commonly used slang for “cool”, “awesome”, “excellent”, or “high quality”. You can use it for food, movies, experiences, or people.

新鮮出爐嘅蛋撻係最正㗎！
san1 sin1 ceot1 lou4 ge3 daan6 taat1 hai6 zeoi3 zeng3 gaa3!
(fresh)(out of oven)(Adj.)(egg tart)(is)(most)(great)(PARTICLE)
Freshly baked egg tarts are the absolute best!

呢套戲無論劇情定場景都好正。
ni1 tou3 hei3 mou4 leon6 kek6 cing4 ding6 coeng4 ging2 dou1 hou2 zeng3.
(this)(MW)(movie)(no matter)(plot)(or)(scene)(all)(very)(awesome).
This movie is awesome, whether it's the plot or the visuals.

聽日打風唔使返工，正呀！
ting1 jat6 daa2 fung1 m4 sai2 faan1 gung1, zeng3 aa3!
(tomorrow)(typhoon)(no need)(go-to work),(awesome)(PARTICLE)
There's a typhoon tomorrow so we don't have to work, awesome!

12/08/2026

The pattern 「(Verb) 嚟 lai4/lei4 (Verb) 去 heoi3」 is a very lively Cantonese grammatical structure used to express repetitive or exhaustive actions. Literally, 嚟 lai4/lei4 means “to come” and 去 heoi3 means “to go”. When sandwiched between the same verb, it translates to doing that action “back and forth” or “over and over again”. The sense of movement can be physical or figurative.

1. Physical Movement

你做咩行嚟行去？
nei5 zou6 me1 haang4 lai4 haang4 heoi3?
(you)(why)(walk come walk go)?
Why are you pacing back and forth?

2. Exhaustive Effort

我搵嚟搵去都搵唔到。
ngo5 wan2 lai4 wan2 heoi3 dou1 wan2 m4 dou2.
(I)(find come find go)(also)(find)(not-successful).
I’ve searched everywhere over and over again, but I still can’t find it.

我揀嚟揀去，都係覺得呢個好。
ngo5 gaan2 lai4 gaan2 heoi3, dou1 hai6 gok3 dak1 ni1 go3 hou2.
(I)(choose come choose go),(also be)(feel)(this one)(good).
After picking and choosing over and over, I still think this one is the best.

3. Repetition

你睇嚟睇去都係呢套劇，唔悶咩？
nei5 tai2 lai4 tai2 heoi3 dou1 hai6 ni1 tou3 kek6, m4 mun6 me1?
(you)(watch come watch go)(also be)(this)(MW)(drama), (not)(bored)(PARTICLE)?
You watch this same TV drama over and over again. Aren't you bored?

Note that since “(Verb) lai4 (Verb) heoi3” implies you have repeated the action to its limit, it is almost always followed by 都 dou1 to introduce the final result (e.g., “...after all that, I still…).

13/07/2026

照計 (ziu3 gai3) is a very practical Cantonese phrase that you can slip into your sentence (and instantly make locals go “wow” at your Cantonese!). It essentially means “normally speaking,” or “according to logical calculation/expectations.”
It is used when you are looking at a situation and stating what should happen based on regular rules, patterns, or common sense, even when the actual reality turns out differently.

The Literal Translation:
照 (ziu3): “To shine a light on”, according to.
計 (gai3): To calculate, plan, or count.

Examples:

我部電腦新買，照計唔會咁快壞。
ngo5 bou6 din6 nou5 san1 maai5, ziu3 gai3 m4 wui5 gam3 faai3 waai6.
(my)(MW)(computer)(newly)(buy), (based on logic)(not)(will)(so)(fast)(break)
My computer is newly bought. It shouldn't break this quickly based on reasonable expectations.

七月照計仲未係最熱嘅時候，八月仲熱！
cat1 jyut6 ziu3 gai3 zung6 mei6 hai6 zeoi3 jit6 ge3 si4 hau6, baat3 jyut6 zung6 jit6!
(July)(based on expectation)(still)(not yet)(is)(most)(hot)(Adj.)(time), (August)(even more)(hot)
July shouldn't be the hottest time of year yet based on typical patterns. August will be even hotter!

你幫咗我咁多，照計呢餐飯應該我請。
nei5 bong1 zo2 ngo5 gam3 do1, ziu3 gai3 ni1 caan1 faan6 jing1 goi1 ngo5 ceng2.
(you)(helped)(me)(so)(much), (based on expectations)(this)(MW)(rice/meal)(should)(I)(treat)
You've helped me so much. It’s only fair that I should treat you to this meal.

照計佢哋應該快過我哋到，點解仲未見人？
ziu3 gai3 keoi5 dei6 jing1 goi1 faai3 gwo3 ngo5 dei6 dou3, dim2 gaai2 zung6 mei6 gin3 jan4?
(based on calculation)(they)(should)(fast)(than)(we)(arrive), (why)(still)(not yet)(see)(person)?
They should have arrived sooner than us (e.g. based on their position or what they told us). Why haven't we seen them yet?

Tips:
Whenever you want to say “If everything went according to plan/logic/social convention/usual practice, then…”, just start your thought with 照計 ziu3 gai3! ;)

18/06/2026

Both 奄尖 / 腌臢 (jim1 zim1) and 娿哿 (o1 go6) are highly expressive Cantonese terms that describe (unpleasant) personality traits. They make a great pair to describe, for example, a difficult shopper or diner! But they attack the problem from two different angles.

* If someone is 奄尖 / 腌臢 (jim1 zim1), they are picky, choosy, or difficult to please. They reject things because they are “too” this or that, or of the “wrong” colour / size / shape / taste, etc. They know what they don't want.

* If someone is 娿哿 (o1 go6), they are indecisive. They might actually like everything, but it takes them forever to make up their mind and they may waver back and forth between choices.

Let’s look at some example sentences to see them in action!

1. 奄尖 / 腌臢 (jim1 zim1) - picky, fussy

佢食嘢好奄尖，呢啲又唔食，嗰啲又話油。
keoi5 sik6 je5 hou2 jim1 zim1, ni1 di1 jau6 m4 sik6, go2 di1 jau6 waa6 jau4.
(s/he) (eat) (thing) (very) (picky), (these) (also) (not) (eat), (those) (also) (say) (oily)
S/he is a very picky eater; s/he won't eat these, and she complains that those are too oily.

佢揀衫好奄尖，淨係純棉嘅先會買。
keoi5 gaan2 saam1 hou2 jim1 zim1, zing6 hai6 seon4 min4 ge3 sin1 wui5 maai5.
(s/he) (choose) (clothes) (very) (picky), (only) (pure cotton) (Adj.) (only if) (will) (buy)
S/he is very fussy when choosing clothes. S/he will only buy those that are 100% pure cotton.

你揀 groupmate 唔好咁奄尖啦，又唔係揀老公。
nei5 gaan2 groupmate m4 hou2 gam3 jim1 zim1 laa1, jau6 m4 hai6 gaan2 lou5 gung1.
(you) (choose) (groupmate) (don't) (so) (picky) (PARTICLE), (after all) (not be) (choose) (husband)
Don't be so picky when choosing groupmates! It's not like you're choosing a husband.

2. 娿哿 (o1 go6) - indecisive, wishy-washy

你咪咁娿哿啦，一係買，一係唔買，唔使諗成日！
nei5 mai5 gam3 o1 go6 laa1, jat1 hai6 maai5, jat1 hai6 m4 maai5, m4 sai2 nam2 seng4 jat6!
(you) (don't) (so) (indecisive) (PARTICLE), (either) (buy), (either) (not) (buy), (no need) (think) (whole day)
Don't be so wishy-washy! Either buy it or don't buy it, you don't need to spend the whole day thinking about it!

佢份人好娿哿，之前話去，而家又話怕熱唔想去。
keoi5 fan6 jan4 hou2 o1 go6, zi1 cin4 waa6 heoi3, ji4 gaa1 jau6 waa6 paa3 jit6 m4 soeng2 heoi3.
(his/her) (personality) (very) (indecisive), (before) (say) (go), (now) (again) (say) (fear) (hot) (not) (want) (go)
S/he is a very indecisive person. Earlier s/he said s/he was going, but now s/he says s/he's afraid of the heat and doesn't want to go.

佢買個外賣都娿哿過人，揀三四間都未揀好！
keoi5 maai5 go3 ngoi6 maai6 dou1 o1 go6 gwo3 jan4, gaan2 saam1 sei3 gaan1 dou1 mei6 gaan2 hou2!
(s/he) (buy) (MW) (takeout) (also) (indecisive) (more than others), (choose) (three) (four) (MW for shops) (even) (not yet) (choose-completed)
S/he is more indecisive than anyone even just ordering takeout. S/he's looked at several restaurants and still hasn't made up his/her mind!

25/05/2026

費事 (fai3 si6; also written as 廢事) is an incredibly common and useful Cantonese expression. It essentially means "to avoid the trouble of...", "so as not to...", or "lest...". It is used when you decide to do (or not do) something to prevent an annoying, awkward, or problematic situation later.
Here is how we can use it:

1. Action，費事 fai3 si6 + The bad outcome that you seek to avoid

我搭的士去，費事遲到。
ngo5 daap3 dik1 si2 heoi3, fai3 si6 ci4 dou3.
(I)(take)(taxi)(go),(lest)(be late)
I'm taking a taxi so I don't risk being late.

唔講住喇，我要瞓覺，費事聽日唔知醒。
m4 gong2 zyu6 laa3, ngo5 jiu3 fan3 gaau3, fai3 si6 ting1 jat6 m4 zi1 seng2.
(not)(speak)(for now)(LAA),(I)(need)(sleep),(lest)(tomorrow)(not know)(awake)
Let's stop talking for now, I need to sleep so I don't risk failing to wake up on time tomorrow.

我哋講嘢細聲啲，費事嘈到阿妹溫書。
ngo5 dei6 gong2 je5 sai3 seng1 di1, fai3 si6 cou4 dou2 aa3 mui2 wan1 syu1.
(we)(speak thing)(soft voice)(-er), (lest)(make noise to)(younger sister)(study)
Let's speak more quietly, so that we won’t disturb younger sister who’s studying.

2. 費事 fai3 si6 + Action that you don’t bother doing or not worth the hassle to do

我費事問佢，我知佢實話唔得。
ngo5 fai3 si6 man6 keoi5, ngo5 zi1 keoi5 sat6 waa6 m4 dak1.
(I)(avoid trouble)(ask)(him/her), (I)(know)(he)(definitely)(say)(not okay)
I wouldn’t even bother asking him. I know he'll definitely say no.

我費事打咁多字，所以直接打電話畀你。
ngo5 fai3 si6 daa2 gam3 do1 zi6, so2 ji5 zik6 zip3 daa2 din6 waa2 bei2 nei5.
(I)(avoid trouble)(type)(such many)(word), (so)(directly)(dial)(phone)(to)(you)
I don’t want to bother to type so many words, so I'm calling you directly.

件事已經過咗去，費事再提喇。
gin6 si6 ji5 ging1 gwo3 zo2 heoi3, fai3 si6 zoi3 tai4 laa3.
(MW)(matter)(already)(pass-ed go),(avoid trouble)(again)(mention)(PARTICLE)
That matter has already passed. There’s no point to mention it again.

28/04/2026

Try this mini quiz on classifiers for garments!
(Answers can be found below)

Options: 件 gin6 / 條 tiu4 / 對 deoi3

1. T裇 ti1 seot1
T-shirt

2. 背心 bui3 sam1
Vest / Tank top

3. 褲 fu3
Trousers

4. 半截裙 bun3 zit6 kwan4
Skirt (“half dress”)

5. 連身裙 lin4 san1 kwan4
Dress / One-piece (“joined body dress”)

6. 外套 ngoi6 tou3
Jacket

7. 冷衫 laang1 saam1
Jumper / Sweater

8. 頸巾 geng2 gan1
Scarf

9. 手襪 sau2 mat6
Gloves (“hand sock”)

10. 襪 mat6
Socks

*
*
*
*
*
Answer key:
****
件 gin6: 1, 2, 6, 7
條 tiu4: 3, 4, 5, 8
對 deoi3: 9, 10
****
Did you notice the pattern?

- 件 gin6: Used for things worn on the upper body (tops, jackets, shirts).

- 條 tiu4: Used for long, flexible, or strip-shaped items and those covering the lower body (scarves, trousers, shorts, panties, skirts, dresses).

- 對 deoi3: Used for things that come in pairs (socks, gloves). Note that trousers and shorts are not considered “a pair” in Cantonese because they are one inseparable piece of garment!

How many did you get right? Let us know in the comments!

HKU Cantonese

17/10/2026

13/09/2026

12/08/2026

13/07/2026

18/06/2026

25/05/2026

28/04/2026

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