Clothes in Cantonese
Cantonese keeps clothing words short and mostly single-syllable: 衫 (saam1) covers tops and clothes in general, 褲 (fu3) is trousers, 鞋 (haai4) shoes. Handy the moment you step into a shop in Mong Kok.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you say clothes in Cantonese?
衫 (saam1). It means both clothes in general and a top specifically — 買衫 (maai5 saam1) is to go clothes shopping.
How do you say you want to try something on?
試下 (si3 haa5), try it. In a shop you can say 我想試下 (ngo5 soeng2 si3 haa5), I would like to try this on.
How do you say to wear in Cantonese?
着 (zoek3) for clothes and shoes — 着衫 (zoek3 saam1) to get dressed. Hats and glasses use 戴 (daai3) instead.
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