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Cantonese Emergency Phrases

Hong Kong is a safe city and the emergency number, 999, is answered in English as well as Cantonese. Still, these are the words worth knowing before you need them — for shouting, for asking a bystander for help, and for understanding what you are being told.

gau˗₃救mengˍ₆命
to save somebody's life
siuˊ²小samˉ¹心
careful, warning, "be careful"
ngaiˎ₄危himˊ²險
danger; dangerous
bongˉ¹幫sauˊ²手
assistant; helper
bou˗₃報gingˊ²警
report to the police; make a police report
gingˊ²警caat˗₃察
the police
caaiˉ¹差janˎ₄人
a policeman; police personnel. [國]: 警官,警員
gau˗₃救wuˍ₆護ceˉ¹車
ambulance
foˊ²火gingˊ²警
fire alarm
siuˉ¹消fongˎ₄防jyunˎ₄員
firemen; firewoman; fire personnel; fire fighter
jiˉ¹醫jyunˊ²院
hospital
taiˊ²睇jiˉ¹醫sangˉ¹生
(as variant of 睇病) see/consult a doctor | [國] 看醫生

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Frequently asked questions

How do you shout for help in Cantonese?

救命呀! (gau3 meng6 aa3) — help! To ask someone to lend a hand rather than in an emergency, use 幫手 (bong1 sau2).

What is the emergency number in Hong Kong?

999, for police, fire and ambulance. Operators answer in Cantonese and English; 報警 (bou3 ging2) means to make that call.

How do you say police in Cantonese?

警察 (ging2 caat3) is the standard word; in everyday speech people say 差人 (caai1 jan4).

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