Hi, I'm new to this forum. Not sure if this is possible at all, but I'd like to know the meaning of some Cantonese words. This is all phonetic, so I'm not sure if this will work. (I know there are a number of ways to pronounce these phonetic interpretations, but I think these are fairly common phrases, if that helps at all in decyphering them).
joong sum
kay sut
goong yow
daap beit
haw yee
hoy chee
jing fu
ying guey
It will be interesting to see if anyone can make heads or tails of this. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks
Help with various phrases
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Makzai
Re: Help with various phrases
Hi,
I have a short question. Are you a Taiwanese-Canadian, residing in the Vancouver area? Just wondering, I can tell from your e-mail address. I'm also in the area. Now about those words. I'm able to make out a couple of them. I'll type them in Chinese characters.
joong sum 中心 dzung 1 sam 1 / zhong1 xin1/ center
kay sut 技術 gei 6 sut 6/9 / ji4 shu4 technique
goong yow?
daap biet 特別 dak 6/9 biet 6/9 / te4bie2 special
haw yee 可以 ho 2 yi 5 / ke3(2) yi3 can, able to, allowed
hoy chee 開車 hoi 1 tse 1 / kai1 che1 drive or start a vehicle
jing fu 政府 dzing 3 fu 2 / zheng4 fu3 government
ying guey 應該 ying1 goi1 / ying1 gai1 should, ought to
Some of the words might not be right. I had to think a while about what some of these words could mean. Before I had a Cantonese dictionary I used to make my own version of Cantonese romanization. Check out some Chinese bookstores in Chinatown and Metrotown. They sell pretty well all the books on Cantonese you can find in HK bookstores.
麥仔
I have a short question. Are you a Taiwanese-Canadian, residing in the Vancouver area? Just wondering, I can tell from your e-mail address. I'm also in the area. Now about those words. I'm able to make out a couple of them. I'll type them in Chinese characters.
joong sum 中心 dzung 1 sam 1 / zhong1 xin1/ center
kay sut 技術 gei 6 sut 6/9 / ji4 shu4 technique
goong yow?
daap biet 特別 dak 6/9 biet 6/9 / te4bie2 special
haw yee 可以 ho 2 yi 5 / ke3(2) yi3 can, able to, allowed
hoy chee 開車 hoi 1 tse 1 / kai1 che1 drive or start a vehicle
jing fu 政府 dzing 3 fu 2 / zheng4 fu3 government
ying guey 應該 ying1 goi1 / ying1 gai1 should, ought to
Some of the words might not be right. I had to think a while about what some of these words could mean. Before I had a Cantonese dictionary I used to make my own version of Cantonese romanization. Check out some Chinese bookstores in Chinatown and Metrotown. They sell pretty well all the books on Cantonese you can find in HK bookstores.
麥仔
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Lisa C
Re: Help with various phrases
I thought the following when I saw your post.
goong yow - would be colleague
hoy chee - begin
hoy che - start the car
goong yow - would be colleague
hoy chee - begin
hoy che - start the car
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ichi
Re: Help with various phrases
Mak, are YOU taiwanese, living in Vancouver? 
better yet, do you instruct cantonese?
for the first question --
I think it's
kay4 sut4 - as a matter of fact (dont' know how it's written; sounds colloquial)
hoy1 che2 - to start or begin (kai1 shi3 - 開 始 )
better yet, do you instruct cantonese?
for the first question --
I think it's
kay4 sut4 - as a matter of fact (dont' know how it's written; sounds colloquial)
hoy1 che2 - to start or begin (kai1 shi3 - 開 始 )
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K
Re: Help with various phrases
Thanks for those of you who have helped me out!
First, to answer a few questions. No, I'm not Taiwanese. I'm a Chinese (Cantonese)-Canadian living in the Vancouver area. I was born here, my parents are both Chinese but very Westernized, and I wish I knew the language out of interest, culture and respect for my heritage.
It's amazing to see that from my rough phonetics, you were able to interpret the phrases I was trying to understand. It's not a perfect technique, but now I see that it can work! In summary, from the various responses so far, I think these following definitions appropriately match the phrases I had in mind:
joong sum (中 心) = center (any other definitions for this?)
kay sut (技 術) = as a matter of fact
goong yow = would be colleague (?)
daap beit (特 別) = special
haw yee (可 以) = can, able, allowed
hoy chee (開 始) = to start or begin
jing fu (政 府) = government
ying guey (應 該)= should, ought to
Thanks again to you all. Now back to listening to Cantonse radio to see whatelse I can pick up and ask you all about! : )
K
PS I hope others will also benefit from these responses, as well!
First, to answer a few questions. No, I'm not Taiwanese. I'm a Chinese (Cantonese)-Canadian living in the Vancouver area. I was born here, my parents are both Chinese but very Westernized, and I wish I knew the language out of interest, culture and respect for my heritage.
It's amazing to see that from my rough phonetics, you were able to interpret the phrases I was trying to understand. It's not a perfect technique, but now I see that it can work! In summary, from the various responses so far, I think these following definitions appropriately match the phrases I had in mind:
joong sum (中 心) = center (any other definitions for this?)
kay sut (技 術) = as a matter of fact
goong yow = would be colleague (?)
daap beit (特 別) = special
haw yee (可 以) = can, able, allowed
hoy chee (開 始) = to start or begin
jing fu (政 府) = government
ying guey (應 該)= should, ought to
Thanks again to you all. Now back to listening to Cantonse radio to see whatelse I can pick up and ask you all about! : )
K
PS I hope others will also benefit from these responses, as well!
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Terence
Re: Help with various phrases
as matter of fact = kei4 sat6/9 written as 其實
colleagues of the working class = gung1 jau5 witten as 工友
colleagues of the working class = gung1 jau5 witten as 工友
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K
Re: Help with various phrases
More phrases.....
hay mong
pie meng ('meng', in this case is 'name')
gow see
kay gwai
ying wai
Dwoh jyeah nei dei!
hay mong
pie meng ('meng', in this case is 'name')
gow see
kay gwai
ying wai
Dwoh jyeah nei dei!
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ichi
Re: Help with various phrases
"hay mong" = to hope, to hope for
"gau see" = time's up/ right time (make sure you have the right tone for this; it's possible to interpret this as 'dog excrement' too, dependent on tone)
"kay gwai" = strange
I have one (among many)--
/beau/ see (excuse my romanization; /beau/ as in beau yeun, to perform)
"gau see" = time's up/ right time (make sure you have the right tone for this; it's possible to interpret this as 'dog excrement' too, dependent on tone)
"kay gwai" = strange
I have one (among many)--
/beau/ see (excuse my romanization; /beau/ as in beau yeun, to perform)
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Makzai
Re: Help with various phrases
hay mong = 希望 hei 1 mong 6 to wish or hope for (as mentioned by ichi)
pie meng ？
gow see 1.) 夠時 gau 3 si 4 time's up 2.) 舊時 gau 6 si 4 before, old times
3.) 狗屎 gau 2 si 2 dog excrement
kay gwai= 奇怪 kei 4 guai 3 strange, wierd
ying wai= 認爲 ying 6 wai 4 to suppose, to think
Example of 認爲: 我認爲坉禶|嚟
Ngo5 ying6wai4kuei5m4wui5lei4/lai4.
I think he/she won't come.
你認為點吖？
Nei5 ying6wai4 dim2 a?
What do you think?
pie meng ？
gow see 1.) 夠時 gau 3 si 4 time's up 2.) 舊時 gau 6 si 4 before, old times
3.) 狗屎 gau 2 si 2 dog excrement
kay gwai= 奇怪 kei 4 guai 3 strange, wierd
ying wai= 認爲 ying 6 wai 4 to suppose, to think
Example of 認爲: 我認爲坉禶|嚟
Ngo5 ying6wai4kuei5m4wui5lei4/lai4.
I think he/she won't come.
你認為點吖？
Nei5 ying6wai4 dim2 a?
What do you think?
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Makzai
Re: Help with various phrases
hay mong = 希望 hei 1 mong 6 to wish or hope for (as mentioned by ichi)
pie meng ？
gow see 1.) 夠時 gau 3 si 4 time's up 2.) 舊時 gau 6 si 4 before, old times
3.) 狗屎 gau 2 si 2 dog excrement
kay gwai= 奇怪 kei 4 guai 3 strange, wierd
ying wai= 認爲 ying 6 wai 4 to suppose, to think
Example of 認爲: 我認爲坉禶|嚟
Ngo5 ying6wai4kuei5m4wui5lei4/lai4.
I think he/she won't come.
你認為點吖？
Nei5 ying6wai4 dim2 a?
What do you think?
pie meng ？
gow see 1.) 夠時 gau 3 si 4 time's up 2.) 舊時 gau 6 si 4 before, old times
3.) 狗屎 gau 2 si 2 dog excrement
kay gwai= 奇怪 kei 4 guai 3 strange, wierd
ying wai= 認爲 ying 6 wai 4 to suppose, to think
Example of 認爲: 我認爲坉禶|嚟
Ngo5 ying6wai4kuei5m4wui5lei4/lai4.
I think he/she won't come.
你認為點吖？
Nei5 ying6wai4 dim2 a?
What do you think?