Hong Kong Street Food in Cantonese
Street food stalls are where Cantonese gets used fastest — you point, you name the dish, you pay. These are the snacks you will actually see steaming on Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po corners, with native audio and Jyutping for each one so you can order without pointing at all.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you order street food in Cantonese?
Say 唔該 (m4 goi1) to get attention, then the quantity and the dish — 一串魚蛋 (jat1 cyun3 jyu4 daan2), one skewer of fish balls.
What are curry fish balls in Cantonese?
咖喱魚蛋 (gaa3 lei1 jyu4 daan2) — the yellow curry-soaked fish balls sold on skewers, probably the single most iconic Hong Kong street snack.
What does dai pai dong mean?
大排檔 (daai6 paai4 dong3) is an open-air licensed food stall. The name comes from the oversized licence plate the stalls had to display.