HKDictionary

Getting Around Hong Kong in Cantonese

Hong Kong runs on public transport, and the words for it are some of the first you will actually use. 地鐵 (dei6 tit3) is the MTR, 巴士 (baa1 si2) the double-decker, and 的士 (dik1 si2) the red taxi you flag down. Tap any word for native audio and Jyutping.

巴士
bus
deiˍ₆地tit˗₃鐵
subway; MTR; abbreviation for 地下鐵路
dikˉ¹的siˊ²士
taxi [loanword] [華]: 計程車
dinˍ₆電ceˉ¹車
tram; tramway; tramcar; trolleybus; (motorised) trolley | Note: '電車' is used in the Japanese language as 'train'
siuˊ²小baaˉ¹巴
minibus [Syn.] van仔 [Formal] 小型公共汽車
syunˎ₄船
ship; boat; vessel; craft; ferry; barge
飛機
airplane
車站
station / stop

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Frequently asked questions

How do you say MTR in Cantonese?

Everyday speech uses 地鐵 (dei6 tit3), subway. The network's own name is 港鐵 (gong2 tit3), but locals say 地鐵 when talking about taking it.

How do you say taxi in Cantonese?

的士 (dik1 si2) — borrowed straight from the English "taxi". To hail one you can say 我要搭的士 (ngo5 jiu3 daap3 dik1 si2), I want to take a taxi.

What is the verb for taking transport in Cantonese?

搭 (daap3). It works with everything: 搭巴士 (take the bus), 搭地鐵 (take the MTR), 搭船 (take the ferry).

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