HKDictionary

Countries in Cantonese

"Where are you from?" is one of the first questions you will be asked. Most country names end in 國 (gwok3, country), and many are shortened sound-alikes — once you know the pattern, you can guess a lot of them.

hoengˉ¹香gongˊ²港
Hong Kong, literally "fragrant harbour" - which is sadly ironic in light of its polluted waters nowadays; Hong Kong stop on Airport Express MTR line
中國
China
jingˉ¹英gwok˗₃國
England, and by extension, the United Kingdom; Although the United Kingdom and England are separate entities, where the United Kingdom encompasses England, this distinction is not clear in the Chinese. Thus the term 英國 can mean both, however, 英格蘭 (England) cannot be used to describe the UK as a whole.
美國
United States
jatˍ₆日bunˊ²本
pronounced as lv4 ben3 in Taiwan.
honˎ₄韓gwok˗₃國
South Korea | HK, TW also use 南韓
toiˎ₄台waanˉ¹灣
Taiwan; also written 臺灣
ou˗₃澳munˊ²門
Macao (sometimes spelled Macau, which is its Portuguese spelling) -- a Cantonese speaking city in southeast China that used to be a Portuguese colony
gaaˉ¹加naaˎ₄拿daaiˍ₆大
Canada
ou˗₃澳zauˉ¹洲
Australia (also 澳大利亞)
faat˗₃法gwok˗₃國
France
dakˉ¹德gwok˗₃國
Germany, Deutschland (as a loanword)

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Frequently asked questions

How do you ask where someone is from in Cantonese?

你係邊度人呀? (nei5 hai6 bin1 dou6 jan4 aa3) — literally "you are a person from where?"

How do you say I am from the UK in Cantonese?

我係英國人 (ngo5 hai6 jing1 gwok3 jan4). Add 人 (jan4, person) to any country to make its nationality.

How do you say Hong Kong in Cantonese?

香港 (hoeng1 gong2) — literally "fragrant harbour".

More Cantonese Word Lists

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