Cantonese — top 300 words
High-frequency vocabulary for English speakers. Reveal each card, then rate your recall — the schedule adapts (SM-2) and is stored on your device.
Sources: Operator-curated — 300 rows · MT status unverified
The maintainer describes this as a curated teaching list; see the recorded source note for scope. Machine-translation status has not been verified row by row. See the bibliography.
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Full word list
Hover or tap a highlighted term to see its English meaning and copy it. With a keyboard, Tab to the first term and use the arrow keys; source status is shown in the popup.
| # | Cantonese | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | to be (is/am/are) | |
| 2 | is not / am not / are not | |
| 3 | at / in / on (location) | |
| 4 | don't have / there is no / no | |
| 5 | not (negation prefix) | |
| 6 | possessive / sentence-final particle | |
| 7 | sentence-final: obviousness / resignation | |
| 8 | sentence-final: hearsay / mild surprise | |
| 9 | only / just / that's all | |
| 10 | sentence-final: softer assertion | |
| 11 | completed action marker (aspect particle) | |
| 12 | ongoing action marker (aspect particle) | |
| 13 | continuous state marker (aspect particle) | |
| 14 | also do / do in addition | |
| 15 | changed state / new situation particle | |
| 16 | emphatic assertion particle | |
| 17 | sentence-final: obvious surprise combo | |
| 18 | how / what way | |
| 19 | why | |
| 20 | how / in what way | |
| 21 | when | |
| 22 | where | |
| 23 | who / which one | |
| 24 | what | |
| 25 | what (colloquial) | |
| 26 | how many / how much | |
| 27 | how much money | |
| 28 | how / quite / several | |
| 29 | pretty / beautiful / good-looking (Cantonese) | |
| 30 | cheap / inexpensive (Cantonese) | |
| 31 | small / little (Cantonese) | |
| 32 | clever / capable (Cantonese) | |
| 33 | powerful / awesome (Cantonese) | |
| 34 | stylish / cool-looking | |
| 35 | attractive / hot (colloquial) | |
| 36 | noisy | |
| 37 | quiet / peaceful | |
| 38 | clean | |
| 39 | dirty (Cantonese) | |
| 40 | comfortable | |
| 41 | hard work / tiring / suffering | |
| 42 | convenient | |
| 43 | troublesome / to bother | |
| 44 | to come (Cantonese) | |
| 45 | to return / go back | |
| 46 | to look / watch / read (Cantonese) | |
| 47 | to look for / find (Cantonese) | |
| 48 | to know / be able to (Cantonese) | |
| 49 | don't know / can't (Cantonese) | |
| 50 | to say / to speak | |
| 51 | to leave / walk away (Cantonese) | |
| 52 | to stand (Cantonese) | |
| 53 | to sleep (Cantonese) | |
| 54 | to take / get / grab (Cantonese) | |
| 55 | to close / shut (Cantonese) | |
| 56 | to look for / earn (Cantonese) | |
| 57 | to like / be fond of (Cantonese) | |
| 58 | to dislike | |
| 59 | to be scared / afraid (Cantonese) | |
| 60 | to cry (Cantonese) | |
| 61 | to endure / push up / to top (Cantonese) | |
| 62 | to handle / deal with / do | |
| 63 | done / sorted / settled (Cantonese) | |
| 64 | to remember | |
| 65 | to forget | |
| 66 | to get up / wake up | |
| 67 | to shower / bathe (Cantonese) | |
| 68 | to take (transport) / board | |
| 69 | to try | |
| 70 | can / okay / fine | |
| 71 | cannot / not okay | |
| 72 | to need to / must | |
| 73 | don't need to / no need | |
| 74 | thank you | |
| 75 | thank you (for a gift/favour) | |
| 76 | you're welcome / no need to be polite | |
| 77 | it's okay / never mind / no worries | |
| 78 | no problem | |
| 79 | exactly / that's right / indeed | |
| 80 | that is to say / meaning / i.e. | |
| 81 | go ahead / feel free | |
| 82 | doesn't matter / don't care | |
| 83 | long time no see | |
| 84 | take care (farewell) | |
| 85 | excuse me / may I ask | |
| 86 | thank you for your hard work | |
| 87 | excuse me / I'm sorry / embarrassed | |
| 88 | oh really / is that so | |
| 89 | just now / just (Cantonese) | |
| 90 | correct / just right / to happen to | |
| 91 | so / like that / in this way | |
| 92 | like that / in that way (written) | |
| 93 | immediately / right away | |
| 94 | later / in a while (Cantonese) | |
| 95 | hurry up / faster | |
| 96 | a little bit | |
| 97 | now (Cantonese) | |
| 98 | just now / a moment ago (Cantonese) | |
| 99 | yesterday (Cantonese) | |
| 100 | tomorrow (Cantonese) | |
| 101 | day after tomorrow | |
| 102 | day before yesterday | |
| 103 | morning (Cantonese) | |
| 104 | afternoon (Cantonese) | |
| 105 | evening / night (Cantonese) | |
| 106 | just a moment ago (Cantonese) | |
| 107 | dim sum | |
| 108 | siu mai (steamed pork dumplings) | |
| 109 | har gow (shrimp dumplings) | |
| 110 | BBQ pork bun | |
| 111 | rice noodle roll | |
| 112 | wonton noodle soup | |
| 113 | fish balls | |
| 114 | beef brisket | |
| 115 | milk tea (Hong Kong style) | |
| 116 | yuenyeung (coffee + milk tea mix) | |
| 117 | pineapple bun (no pineapple inside) | |
| 118 | egg tart | |
| 119 | cold / iced drink (Cantonese) | |
| 120 | hot drink | |
| 121 | no sugar (ordering drinks) | |
| 122 | less sweet | |
| 123 | add ice | |
| 124 | no ice | |
| 125 | one portion / one plate (Cantonese) | |
| 126 | to pack / take away / doggy bag | |
| 127 | MTR / subway / metro | |
| 128 | bus | |
| 129 | taxi (Cantonese) | |
| 130 | minibus | |
| 131 | ferry | |
| 132 | tram (Hong Kong) | |
| 133 | to get off a vehicle | |
| 134 | to get on a vehicle | |
| 135 | to transfer / change transport | |
| 136 | exit | |
| 137 | entrance | |
| 138 | pier / ferry terminal | |
| 139 | airport | |
| 140 | dollar (HK colloquial for 元/圓) | |
| 141 | 10 cents / dime (Cantonese) | |
| 142 | to give change | |
| 143 | cashier | |
| 144 | Octopus card (HK transit card) | |
| 145 | discount / sale | |
| 146 | price reduction / markdown | |
| 147 | fitting room | |
| 148 | receipt | |
| 149 | wet market | |
| 150 | supermarket | |
| 151 | pharmacy / chemist | |
| 152 | Hong Kong-style café / cha chaan teng | |
| 153 | open-air food stall / dai pai dong | |
| 154 | roast meat shop | |
| 155 | convenience store (from 'store') | |
| 156 | public toilet | |
| 157 | to rain / it's raining (Cantonese) | |
| 158 | typhoon / strong wind (Cantonese) | |
| 159 | Hong Kong Observatory | |
| 160 | Typhoon Signal No. 8 | |
| 161 | wet / humid | |
| 162 | stuffy / stifling hot (Cantonese) | |
| 163 | cool and cold | |
| 164 | hungry (Cantonese: lit. stomach hungry) | |
| 165 | thirsty | |
| 166 | tired / exhausted (Cantonese) | |
| 167 | headache | |
| 168 | stomachache | |
| 169 | dizzy / to faint | |
| 170 | allergy / allergic reaction | |
| 171 | to see a doctor (Cantonese) | |
| 172 | emergency room / A&E | |
| 173 | medicine | |
| 174 | can't sleep (Cantonese) | |
| 175 | general measure word (people, things) | |
| 176 | measure: long thin objects (rope, fish, road) | |
| 177 | measure: flat objects (paper, table, ticket) | |
| 178 | measure: books | |
| 179 | measure: cups / glasses | |
| 180 | measure: bowls | |
| 181 | measure: plates / discs | |
| 182 | measure: long thin items (pen, cigarette) | |
| 183 | measure: vehicles / machines | |
| 184 | measure: rooms / shops / buildings | |
| 185 | measure: people (respectful) | |
| 186 | measure: portions / copies | |
| 187 | measure: small round objects | |
| 188 | measure: paintings / cloth / maps | |
| 189 | measure: pairs | |
| 190 | Cantonese language | |
| 191 | Guangdong province | |
| 192 | Hong Kong | |
| 193 | Kowloon | |
| 194 | New Territories | |
| 195 | Macau | |
| 196 | Guangzhou (Canton) | |
| 197 | Mandarin / Putonghua | |
| 198 | mobile phone | |
| 199 | to charge (a device) | |
| 200 | app (mobile application) | |
| 201 | to go online / use the internet | |
| 202 | to send / transmit | |
| 203 | screenshot | |
| 204 | live stream / live broadcast | |
| 205 | Happy Birthday | |
| 206 | Happy New Year | |
| 207 | Wishing you prosperity (CNY greeting) | |
| 208 | Have you eaten yet? (greeting) | |
| 209 | What are you doing? (Cantonese) | |
| 210 | nothing / it's nothing | |
| 211 | nothing happened / I'm fine | |
| 212 | that's it for now / goodbye (phone/meeting) | |
| 213 | bye bye | |
| 214 | sarcastic / to mock (Cantonese slang) | |
| 215 | disgusting / gross (Cantonese) | |
| 216 | to shout loudly | |
| 217 | (mild expletive) guy / fellow (Cantonese) | |
| 218 | (vulgar) Cantonese expletive | |
| 219 | (vulgar) Cantonese expletive / damn | |
| 220 | loser / fallen over (Cantonese slang) | |
| 221 | (vulgar curse) Cantonese | |
| 222 | (vulgar) Cantonese expletive | |
| 223 | wow! / expression of surprise | |
| 224 | wow / oh! (exclamation) | |
| 225 | sigh / alas | |
| 226 | huh? / expression of surprise/confusion | |
| 227 | hey! / hello (phone) | |
| 228 | huh? / what? (Cantonese) | |
| 229 | yeah / right / obviously | |
| 230 | have or not? / do you have...? | |
| 231 | is it or not? (yes/no question pattern) | |
| 232 | can or not? / is it okay? | |
| 233 | good or not? / okay? / how about it? | |
| 234 | first / before doing something else | |
| 235 | only then / until | |
| 236 | also / all / even | |
| 237 | still / even more / additionally | |
| 238 | (ending) then that's it / so let's leave it there | |
| 239 | only / just (Cantonese) | |
| 240 | surely not? / don't tell me... | |
| 241 | of course / definitely | |
| 242 | definitely / certainly (Cantonese) | |
| 243 | Customer: OK, give me this one. | |
| 244 | To vote | |
| 245 | cleaver | |
| 246 | Ms Chan: Good morning, Mr Ho. | |
| 247 | Mr Ho: Good morning, Mrs Lee. | |
| 248 | Ms Chan: Excuse me, I am not Mrs Lee. My | |
| 249 | Mr Ho: Oh, sorry, Miss Chan. | |
| 250 | Ms Chan: That’s alright. Goodbye | |
| 251 | Mr Ho: Goodbye | |
| 252 | Mr Lau: What is your surname, Miss? | |
| 253 | Miss Wong: My (sur)name is Wong. | |
| 254 | Mr Lau: Miss Wong. | |
| 255 | Miss Wong: And you? | |
| 256 | Mr Lau: My name is Lau. | |
| 257 | Miss Wong: Mr Lau. | |
| 258 | Mr Lau: What is your friend’s (sur)name? | |
| 259 | Miss Wong: Her (sur)name is Ma. | |
| 260 | Mr Lau: Is she Cantonese? | |
| 261 | Miss Wong: No, she’s from Shanghai. | |
| 262 | Mr Lau: And you? | |
| 263 | Miss Wong: I’m also from Shanghai. | |
| 264 | Ms Wong: What language are they speaking? Are they speaking Mandarin? | |
| 265 | Mr Chan: No. They are speaking Shanghaiese. | |
| 266 | Ms Cheung: You can speak Shanghaiese? | |
| 267 | Mr Chan: I know a little, that’s all. | |
| 268 | Ms Wong: He speaks both Shanghaiese and Mandarin. | |
| 269 | Ms Cheung: Well, do you know English? | |
| 270 | Mr Chan: I can speak a little, but I can’t write. | |
| 271 | Ms Cheung: I’d like to learn a little English. How do you say ’1-2-3-4-5′ in English? | |
| 272 | Ms Cheung: I didn’t hear clearly. Please say it once again. | |
| 273 | Mr Lee: Baak-chiu, are you ready? | |
| 274 | Pak-Chiu: Not yet. What time is it? | |
| 275 | Mr Lee: It’s … five after one. | |
| 276 | Pak-Chiu: What time did you say? | |
| 277 | Mr Lee: It’s one-o-five. | |
| 278 | Pak-Chiu: Is your watch accruate? | |
| 279 | Mr Lee: Approximately, or a little fast. | |
| 280 | Pak-Chiu: Well, wait for me a few minutes more. | |
| 281 | Mr Lee: Ok, I’ll wait for you. | |
| 282 | Pak-Chiu: I’m sorry. | |
| 283 | Mr Lee: That’s all right. | |
| 284 | Mrs Cheung: Sit anywhere you like. | |
| 285 | Mrs Wong: All right. Thanks. | |
| 286 | Mrs Cheung: Have a cigarette. | |
| 287 | Mrs Wong: No thanks. (Don’t be polite.) | |
| 288 | Mrs Cheung: Don’t be polite. | |
| 289 | Mrs Cheung: You’re welcome. | |
| 290 | Mrs Cheung: Have some tea. | |
| 291 | Mrs Wong: Thank you. | |
| 292 | Mrs Cheung: Have some cookies. | |
| 293 | Mrs Wong: No thanks. | |
| 294 | Mrs Cheung: Try a little. | |
| 295 | Mrs Wong: No thanks, really. | |
| 296 | Mrs Wong: Oh! It’s five o’clock. I must be going! | |
| 297 | Mrs Cheung: Don’t go so soon! | |
| 298 | Mrs Wong: No, I really must go. | |
| 299 | Sales clerk: Buy what? (May I help you?) | |
| 300 | Customer: I want to buy a shirt. How much is this one? |