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Essential Cantonese Greetings: How to Say Hello, Thank You & More in 粤語

Published on April 10, 2026

Essential Cantonese Greetings: How to Say Hello, Thank You & More in 粵語

A red double-decker bus illuminated at night on a Hong Kong street

Learning Cantonese? The very first thing any beginner needs is a solid set of greetings. Whether you're planning a trip to Hong Kong, connecting with Cantonese-speaking family, or simply fascinated by one of the world's most expressive languages, greetings are your gateway in. They signal respect, warmth, and genuine effort — and in Hong Kong culture, that effort goes a long way.

This guide covers the most essential Cantonese greetings and everyday phrases, complete with Jyutping pronunciation so you can say them out loud from day one. For each word, you can tap or click on it to look it up in the HKDictionary and hear the pronunciation for yourself.

Table of Contents

How to Say Hello in Cantonese

The most fundamental greeting in any language is "hello" — and Cantonese has several ways to express it depending on the time of day and level of formality.

你好 — The Standard Hello

你好 (nei5 hou2) is the go-to Cantonese equivalent of "hello." It literally means "you good" — a direct parallel to the Mandarin 你好. Use it when meeting someone for the first time, in business settings, or any situation where you want to sound polite and clear.

你好！ (nei5 hou2!) — Hello!

喂 — The Casual & Phone Hello

喂 (wai3) is what Hong Kongers actually say when picking up the phone or calling out to someone casually. Think of it as the Cantonese equivalent of "Hey!" You'll hear it constantly in everyday life. It's perfectly friendly among people who know each other, but not appropriate for formal introductions.

喂！係我呀。 (wai3! hai6 ngo5 aa3.) — Hey! It's me.

Time-Based Greetings

Like many languages, Cantonese has greetings that change with the time of day:

  • 早晨 (zou2 san4) — Good morning (used before noon)
  • 早 (zou2) — Morning! (very casual shortening of 早晨)
  • 午安 (ng5 on1) — Good afternoon
  • 晚上好 (maan5 soeng6 hou2) — Good evening
  • 晚安 (maan5 on1) — Good night (used when parting or going to sleep)

Cultural note: 早晨 (zou2 san4) is widely used in Hong Kong, especially among older generations and in more traditional settings like wet markets and dim sum restaurants. When a shopkeeper greets you with 早晨 in the morning, responding in kind is a small but meaningful gesture.

How to Ask "How Are You?" in Cantonese

This is where Cantonese gets interesting — and a little more complex than a direct translation.

你好嗎？ — The Textbook Version

你好嗎 (nei5 hou2 maa3) is the literal translation of "how are you?" and is grammatically correct. However, it sounds slightly formal or textbook-ish to native speakers. You're more likely to hear it in formal contexts or from learners than in casual daily conversation.

你點呀？ — The Real Everyday Version

你點呀 (nei5 dim2 aa3) is how friends actually ask "how are you?" or "how's it going?" in Hong Kong. 點 (dim2) means "how/what way" and 呀 (aa3) is a softening particle. The full phrase loosely translates to "how are you doing?"

A: 你好！你點呀？(nei5 hou2! nei5 dim2 aa3?) — Hello! How are you? B: 幾好呀，你呢？(gei2 hou2 aa3, nei5 ne1?) — Pretty good, and you?

食咗飯未？ — "Have You Eaten?"

One of the most culturally rich greetings in Cantonese is 食咗飯未 (sik6 zo2 faan6 mei6) — literally "have you eaten yet?" This phrase reflects the central role of food in Hong Kong culture. It's used as a casual check-in, much like asking "how are you?" — and the "correct" answer is often just to chat, not to report your meal status.

If you want to sound like a genuine local, drop this one on your Cantonese-speaking friends and watch their reaction.

Thank You, Please & Polite Phrases

Politeness in Cantonese is nuanced — and critically, there are two different words for "thank you" that are not interchangeable.

唔該 vs 多謝 — The Two "Thank Yous"

This distinction trips up almost every Cantonese learner:

唔該 (m4 goi1) — Use this when thanking someone for a service, action, or favour that involved effort on their part. Also used as "excuse me" to get someone's attention.

  • Thanking a waiter for bringing your food → 唔該
  • Asking someone to pass the salt → 唔該
  • Getting someone's attention on the street → 唔該

多謝 (do1 ze6) — Use this when thanking someone for a gift, a compliment, or something they've given you.

  • Receiving a birthday present → 多謝
  • Someone compliments your Cantonese → 多謝
  • Someone pays for your meal as a treat → 多謝

Quick rule: 唔該 = thanks for doing; 多謝 = thanks for giving.

Other Essential Polite Phrases

  • 對唔住 (deoi3 m4 zyu6) — I'm sorry / excuse me (for an apology)
  • 唔緊要 (m4 gan2 jiu3) — It's okay / no worries / don't mention it
  • 請 (cing2) — Please (used at the start of a request)
  • 麻煩你 (maa4 faan4 nei5) — Sorry to trouble you / please (very polite request opener)

Goodbye & Farewell Phrases

Saying goodbye in Cantonese is refreshingly simple — and heavily influenced by English in everyday usage.

  • 再見 (zoi3 gin3) — Goodbye (literally "see again")
  • 拜拜 (baai1 baai3) — Bye bye (borrowed from English, extremely common)
  • 遲啲見 (ci4 di1 gin3) — See you later
  • 聽日見 (ting1 jat6 gin3) — See you tomorrow
  • 保重 (bou2 zung6) — Take care (used when parting for a longer time)
  • 路上小心 (lou6 soeng6 siu2 sam1) — Be careful on the way / safe travels

Fun fact: 拜拜 (baai1 baai3) is so common that even Cantonese speakers who don't speak a word of English use it naturally. Language borrowing is a huge part of Hong Kong Cantonese identity.

Introducing Yourself in Cantonese

Once you've nailed the greetings, the next step is being able to give your name and have a short introduction.

Giving Your Name

  • 我叫 (ngo5 giu3) + your name — My name is...
  • 我係 (ngo5 hai6) + your name — I am... (slightly more formal)

我叫 Sarah。 (ngo5 giu3 Sarah) — My name is Sarah.

Asking Someone's Name

  • 你叫咩名 (nei5 giu3 me1 meng2)? — What's your name? (casual)
  • 請問你貴姓 (cing2 man6 nei5 gwai3 sing3)? — May I ask your surname? (formal)

Nice to Meet You

  • 幸會 (hang6 wui6) — Pleased to meet you (formal)
  • 好高興認識你 (hou2 gou1 hing3 jing6 sik1 nei5) — Very happy to meet you

Common Everyday Phrases

Beyond greetings and introductions, these phrases will get you through a huge range of daily situations in Hong Kong.

At a Restaurant or Shop

  • 唔該，埋單 (m4 goi1, maai4 daan1) — Excuse me, the bill please
  • 有冇 (jau5 mou5) + item? — Do you have...?
  • 幾多錢 (gei2 do1 cin2)? — How much does it cost?
  • 平啲得唔得 (peng4 di1 dak1 m4 dak1)? — Can you give a discount?
  • 唔要 (m4 jiu3) — I don't want / no need

Expressing Yourself

Responses & Agreements

  • 係 (hai6) — Yes / correct
  • 唔係 (m4 hai6) — No / not correct
  • 得 (dak1) — OK / can do
  • 唔得 (m4 dak1) — No / can't do
  • 知道 (zi1 dou3) — I understand / I know
  • 明白 (ming4 baak6) — I understand (slightly more formal)

Understanding Cantonese Tones in Greetings

Cantonese is a tonal language with six tones — meaning the same syllable said with different pitches has completely different meanings. This is especially important with greetings, where getting the tone wrong can cause confusion.

The Six Tones at a Glance

Jyutping uses numbers 1–6 to indicate tone:

| Number | Tone Name | Description | Example | |--------|-----------|-------------|---------| | 1 | High level | Flat and high | 詩 (si1) — poem | | 2 | High rising | Rises upward | 史 (si2) — history | | 3 | Mid level | Flat and mid | 試 (si3) — try | | 4 | Low falling | Falls downward | 時 (si4) — time | | 5 | Low rising | Low then rises | 市 (si5) — city | | 6 | Low level | Flat and low | 事 (si6) — matter |

Tones in Practice: 你好 (nei5 hou2)

In 你好 (nei5 hou2):

  • 你 (nei5) uses tone 5 — low rising, like a questioning lilt
  • 好 (hou2) uses tone 2 — high rising, like a confident uptick

Getting these tones right is what distinguishes 你好 (hello) from potentially mumbled nonsense. The good news? Native speakers are incredibly patient with learners — the attempt itself earns respect.

Use HKDictionary to hear audio pronunciations for every word and phrase mentioned in this guide. Simply search for any Chinese character to see its Jyutping, tone number, and audio playback.

Tips for Practising Your Greetings

1. Use Them Immediately

The fastest way to cement greetings is to use them in real situations. Even if you only know 你好 and 唔該, deploy them every chance you get. Hong Kongers will almost always respond warmly when they hear a non-native speaker trying.

2. Learn the Tones Through Audio

Reading Jyutping is helpful, but nothing replaces hearing the real thing. Use HKDictionary to play audio for each word — listen, repeat, and compare. You can search any character to get both the Jyutping breakdown and the pronunciation.

3. Focus on the High-Frequency Words First

From this entire list, the phrases that will serve you most in daily Hong Kong life are:

  1. 你好 (nei5 hou2) — Hello
  2. 唔該 (m4 goi1) — Thank you / Excuse me
  3. 多謝 (do1 ze6) — Thank you (for gifts/compliments)
  4. 對唔住 (deoi3 m4 zyu6) — Sorry
  5. 再見 (zoi3 gin3) — Goodbye

Master these five and you'll handle the majority of polite social interactions.

4. Learn Stroke Order for the Characters

Reading and writing Cantonese characters goes hand in hand with speaking. HKDictionary includes animated stroke order for Chinese characters — a great tool for building recognition and writing ability alongside your speaking practice.

5. Set a Daily Goal

Consistency beats intensity. Learn 3–5 new phrases per day, review them with the dictionary, and you'll have a strong conversational base within weeks.

Conclusion

Cantonese greetings are more than just words — they're cultural keys. Knowing when to say 唔該 versus 多謝, understanding why 食咗飯未 is more than a question about food, or dropping a casual 你點呀 instead of the textbook 你好嗎 — these nuances are what transform a learner into a confident speaker.

Start with the basics, use them often, and let HKDictionary be your pronunciation guide and reference as you go. Every character in this guide is searchable — click any word to hear it, see its stroke order, and explore example sentences.

廣東話唔難，係你得㗎！ (gwong2 dung1 waa2 m4 naan4, hai6 nei5 dak1 gaa3!) — Cantonese isn't hard, you've got this!