Taishanese	IPA	Cantonese	Mandarin	English	Notes
订	iaŋ32	订	订	to book, to subscribe
决定	kut55 ein32	决定	决定	decision; to decide
丁字路口	ein33 du32 lu32 həu55	丁字路口	丁字路口	T-junction, three-way junction
十字路口	sip32 du32 lu32 həu55	十字路口	十字路口	crossroads, four-way intersection
人丁单薄	ŋin22 ein33 an33 bɔk32	人丁单薄	人丁单薄	population (of a family) is thinning out
失魂	sit55 vun22	失魂	丢三忘四	forgetful
教练	gɔu33 lein32	教练	教练	coach, trainer
连	lein22	连	连	including; to link; even
连续	lein22 dək32	连续	连续	continuously
连气	lein22 hi33(5)	连气	接连	continuously, successively
练	lein32	练	练	to practice
链	lein325	链	链子	necklace, chain
艺术	ŋai32 sut32	艺术	艺术	art
比赛	bi55 sɔi33	比赛	比赛	contest, competition
檀香山	han22 hiaŋ33 san33	檀香山	檀香山	Honolulu
疍家	an32 ga335	疍家	疍家	boat people, Tanka	An ethnic group who traditionally lived on junks in coastal parts of Guangdong and Hong Kong.
修理	ɬiu33 li21	修理	修理	to repair; repair
配件	pɔi33 gein325	配件	配件	accessory, component, replacement
各种	gɔk55 dzəŋ55	各种	各种	all kinds
各样	gɔk55 yiaŋ32	各样	各样	all kinds
尺寸	tsiak21 tun33	尺寸	尺寸	size, dimension, measurement
价	ga33	价	价钱	price
价钱	ga33 tein22	价钱	价钱	price
价值	ga33 dzɛt32	价值	价值	value, worth
名气	mein22 hi33	名气	名气	fame, repute
有名	yiu33 miaŋ225	有名	有名	famous, well-known
宠物	tsəŋ55 mɔt32	宠物	宠物	pet
煤气	mɔi22 hi33	煤气	煤气	gas
自动	du32 əŋ32	自动	自动	automatic
炉头	lu22 həu22	炉头	炉头	burner
焗炉	gək32 lu33	焗炉	炉子	stove
车牌	tsia33 pai22	车牌	驾照/车牌	driver license, license plate
文件	mun33 gein325	文件	文件	document, file, paper
水电	sui33 ein32(5)	水电	水电	utility, water and electricity; hydropower
电芯	ein32 ɬim21	电芯	电池	battery
申请	sin33 tein55	申请	申请	to apply; application
组	du55	组	组	group; to organize
改组	gɔi55 du55	改组	改组	to reorganize, to reshuffle; reorganization
生虫	saŋ33 tsəŋ22	生虫	生虫	(fruit, meat) bred worms
抵死	ai55 ɬi55	抵死	该死	blameworthy, deserving of the consequences	Example: 抵死! Serve him right!
收铺	siu33 pu33	收铺	打烊	to close store/shop for the day
拖地	hɔ33 i32	拖地	拖地	to mop the floor
喷	pun33	喷	喷	to spray, to sprinkle, to gush
罐头	gɔŋ21 həu325	罐头	罐头	(container) can, canned food
铁罐	hɛt33 gɔn21	铁罐	铁罐	metal can
管	gɔn55	管	管子	tube, pipe, duct, straw
管	gɔn55	管	看管/管理	to be in charge of, to manage, to run, to control
收养	siu33 yiaŋ21	收养	收养	to adopt (child, pet)
流放	liu22 fɔŋ33	流放	流放	to exile; banishment
流汗	liu22 hɔn32	流汗	流汗	to sweat, to perspire; perspiration
流行	liu22 haŋ22	流行	流行	popular, in fashion; (disease) to spread
一流	yit55 liu22	一流	一流	first rate
流浪	liu22 lɔŋ32	流浪	流浪	(people) to roam, to wander, to drift
交流	gɔu33 liu22	交流	交流	(cultural) exchange
麻	ma22	麻	麻	to numb; hemp
麻醉	ma22 dui33	麻醉	麻醉	to anesthetize; anesthesia
麻药	ma22 yiak21	麻药	麻药	anesthetic
麻木	fa33 hɔk32(5)	麻木	麻木	insensitive, numb; stupor, insensitivity, numbness
损	ɬun55	损	损伤	injured, hurt	Example: 整损553只手仔 I scratched my finger.
损失	ɬun55 sit55	损失	损失	loss; to lose
解放	gai55 fɔŋ33	解放	解放	liberation; to liberate, to free
自由	du32 yiu22	自由	自由	liberty, freedom
荡	ɔŋ32	荡	逛	to loiter, to stroll
荡街	ɔŋ32 gai21	荡街	逛街	to loiter, to hang around, to go window-shopping, to go shopping
便利	bein32 li32	便利	便利	convenience
解	gai55	解	解开	to untie, to unfasten
磨	mɔ22	磨	磨	to grind, to rub, to polish	Verb: [mɔ22] to grind; Noun: [mɔ325] mill, grindstone.
扁	bein55	扁	扁	flat
胀	dziaŋ33	胀	胀	to swell; swollen, bloated
实	sit32	实	结实	solid	Vivid: [sit32 bək33 ə33/sit32 bək33 bək32]
掣	dzai33	掣	开关	switch
电掣	ein32 dzai33	电掣	电灯开关	electrical switch, light switch
充电	tsəŋ33 ein32	充电	充电	to recharge
辛苦	ɬin33 fu55	辛苦	辛苦	exhausting, hard
挂号	ka33 hɔu32	挂号	挂号	to register	To register to see a doctor in a clinic or hospital. The system is like waiting to be seated at a crowded restaurant.
荣幸	vein22 haŋ32	荣幸	荣幸	honored
虚荣心	hui33 vein22 ɬim33	虚荣心	虚荣心	vanity, conceit
荣华昌盛	vein22 va22 tsiaŋ33 sein32	荣华昌盛	荣华昌盛	prosperity	The characters are used to name the four streets of 西宁市 in 台城: 西荣街, 东华街, 南昌街, and 北盛街. The fifth street in the middle is 中和街. The streets form the shape of the character 日.
总之	dəŋ55 dzi33	总之	总之	overall, in short, considering
祖宗	du55 dəŋ33	祖宗	祖宗	ancestry, ancestor, forefather
忘本	mɔŋ22 bɔn55	忘本	忘本	forgetting one's benefactors, forgetting one's humble root
资本主义	du33 bɔn55 dzi55 ŋi32(5)	资本主义	资本主义	capitalism
表情	biau55 tein22	表情	表情	(facial) expression
表哥	biau55 gɔ55	表哥	表哥	father's sister's elder son, mother's brother's or sister's elder son
表现	biau55 yian32	表现	表现	(job) performance, behavior
表达	biau55 at32	表达	表达	to express, to convey
就	diu32	就	就	soon, about to
退休	hui33 hiu33	退休	退休	to retire; retirement
寿星公	siu32 ɬein33 gəŋ33(5)	寿星公	寿星公	the god of longevity
幸福	haŋ32 fək55	幸福	幸福	happiness
唔	m22	唔	不	not	Example: 唔好 It is not good.
冇	mɔu33	冇	没有	have not, without	Example: 冇钱 Do not have money.
还未曾	van21 miaŋ21	仲未	还没有	not yet	Example: 佢还未曾来 He has not yet come.
唔好	mɔu55	唔好	别/不要	do not	Contraction: [m22 hɔu55] → [mɔu55]. Example: 唔好郁 Don't move!
唔使	m22 sɔi55	唔使	不用	need not	Example: 唔使哭 You need not cry.
唔得手	mak33 siu55	唔得	不可以	not allowed	Contraction: [m22 ak33] → [mak33]. Example: 唔得手吃两个 You are not allowed to eat two.
睇唔见	hai33 m22 gein33	睇唔见	看不见	cannot see
唔睇得见	m22 hai55 ak33 gein33	睇唔见	看不见	cannot see
唔入得去	m22 yip32 ak33 hui33	唔入得去	进不去	cannot enter
旋行旋快	dun32 haŋ22 dun32 fai33	越行越快	越走越快	the more he walks the faster he becomes	旋...旋... the more...the more...
留意	liu22 yi33	留意	留意	to pay attention to, to look after
旨意	dzi55 yi33	旨意	靠	to rely on
旨意	dzi55 yi33	旨意	旨意	imperial decree
探冥...探冥...	ham22 mein21 ... ham22 mein21 ...	一边...一边...	一边...一边...	at the same time, while...as...	Example: 探冥哭探冥笑 He is crying and laughing at the same time.
简单	gan55 an33(5)	简单	简单	simple
复杂	fək55 dap32	复杂	复杂	complicated, complex
杂货	dap32 fɔ33	杂货	杂货	groceries
杂志	dap32 dzi33	杂志	杂志	magazine
打杂	a55 dap325	打杂	打杂	do odds and ends, do odd jobs
爆炸	bɔu33 dza33	爆炸	爆炸	to explode (dynamite); explosion
火山	fɔ55 san33	火山	火山	volcano
值日	dzɛt32 ŋit32	值日	值日	to be on duty for the day	Students who would do classroom cleanups after school.
班师回朝	ban33 ɬu33 vɔi22 tsiau22	班师回朝	班师回朝	an expedition troop's triumphant return to the capital	Typical culmination and conclusion of many Cantonese Opera plays.
戏班	hi33 ban335	戏班	戏班	opera troupe
马戏	ma21 hi33	马戏	马戏	circus
出席	tsut55 dɛt32	出席	出席	to attend (an important event)
可惜	hɔ55 ɬɛt55	可惜	可惜	unfortunate, regretful	Example: 可惜! It's a pity!
𧕴	nan21	𧕴	疙瘩,包	swelling or lump on skin	Usually caused by insect bite or irritation.
蚊𧕴	mun21 nan21	蚊𧕴	疙瘩,包	mosquito bite	swelling and lumps caused by mosquito bite
风𧕴	fəŋ33 nan21	风𧕴	疙瘩,包	swelling and lumps caused by allergy
曲尺	kək55 tsiak215	曲尺	曲尺	Glock pistol, semi-automatic pistol
投资	həu22 du33	投资	投资	to invest; investment
升降机	sein33 gɔŋ33 gi33	升降机	电梯	elevator
裤	fu21	裤	裤子	pants, trousers
开裆裤	hɔi33 nɔŋ32 fu21	开裆裤	开裆裤	crotchless pants
纪念	gi55 niam32	纪念	纪念	to commemorate
纪念品	gi55 niam32 bin55	纪念品	纪念品	souvenir
通知	həŋ33 dzi33	通知	通知	to notify; notification
童话	həŋ22 va325	童话	童话	fairy tale
童子军	həŋ22 du55 gun335	童子军	童子军	boy scout
饭桶	fan32 həŋ55	饭桶	饭桶	idiot, fool	Literally 'rice bucket.'
分红	fun33 həŋ22	分红	分红	to share out bonus, to share out profit
将军	diaŋ33 gun33	将军	将军	(military) general; (chess) to check
家庭	ga33 hein22	家庭	家庭	family, household
户籍	fu32 dɛt32	户籍	户口	registered resident, hukou
报户籍	bɔu33 fu32 dɛt32	报户口	报户口	(visitor) to register with the local government for temporary stay
查户口	tsa22 fu32 həu55	查户口	查户口	to search for unregistered dwellers
黑人黑户	hak55 ŋin22 hak55 fu32(5)	黑人黑户	黑人黑户	city dweller without proper registration
劳改	lɔu22 gɔi55	劳改	劳改	forced labor
红卫兵	həŋ22 vi32 bein33	红卫兵	红卫兵	the Red Guards
抄家	tsɔu33 ga33	抄家	抄家	home search, confiscation of goods	Example: 乃红卫兵抄紧家 The Red Guards are searching homes.
㧬卒	əŋ55 dut55	笃卒	顶卒	(chess) to move the pawn forward; (60-70's) to cross the border and enter Hong Kong illegally	A river divides the sides in Chinese Chess. A pawn can only move forward on its own side, but would acquire the ability to move sideways as well after crossing the river. Shenzhen River runs between mainland China and Hong Kong. To escape political repression and economic hardship during the 60/70's, Tens of thousands young Cantonese swam across the river to HK. Just like the pawns, one's full potential could be realized after crossing the river.
偷渡	həu33 u32	偷渡	偷渡	to enter illegally
银仔	ŋan22 dɔi55	银仔	硬币	coin
优待	yiu33 ɔi32	优待	优待	to give preferential treatment; preferential treatment
寒流	hɔn22 liu22	寒流	寒流	cold front, cold current
一流	yit55 liu22	一流	一流	first-rate, best
二三流	ŋi32 ɬam33 liu22(5)	二三流	二三流	not the best, second or third rate
针灸	dzim33 giu33	针灸	针灸	acupuncture
内疚	nɔi32 giu33	内疚	内疚	compunction, guilty conscience
条心唔安乐	hiau22 ɬim335 m22 ɔn33 lɔk32	内疚	内疚	compunction, guilty conscience
久	giu55	久	久	(time) long
有仇	yiu33 siu22	有仇	怀恨	hold grudge, have grievance
享受	hiaŋ55 siu32	享受	享受	to enjoy; enjoyment
受得	siu32 ak33	受得	接受	(body) capable of taking (food, medicine) without side-effect, not allergic to, bearable
唔受得	m22 siu32 ak33	唔受得	接受不了	(body) not capable of taking (food, medicine) because of side-effect, allergic to, not bearable	Usually applies to invigorating type of food or medicine. There is a Cantonese saying 唔受得咁补 which can be translated into something like 'Too good for me' or 'Too good to be true.'
补	bu55	补	补	to repair, to patch; (food, medicine) energizing, invigorating, tonic
帮补	bɔŋ33 bu55	帮补	帮补	to supplement, to help
补药	bu55 yiak21	补药	补药	invigorating medicine
泻药	ɬia33 yiak21	泻药	泻药	laxative
打字	a55 du32	打字	打字	to type; typewriting
字	du32	字	字	Chinese character
识字识墨	sɛt55 du32 sɛt55 mak32	知书识字	能书写	literate, schooled, learned
逼	bɛt55	逼	逼	to force, to compel, to extort, to coerce
逼供	bɛt55 gəŋ33	逼供	逼供	to extort a confession
人民币	ŋin22 min22 bai32(5)	人民币	人民币	Renminbi, RMB	China's currency. Literally the people's money.
港币	kɔŋ55 bai32(5)	港币	港币	Hong Kong Dollar, HKD; Hong Kong currency
美纸	mi21 dzi55	美纸	美元	US currency, US money
冇胆	mɔu33 am55	冇胆	胆小	timid, gutless
胆生毛	am55 saŋ33 mɔu22	胆生毛	鲁莽	reckless	Literally 'Gall bladder grows hairs.'
书虫	si33 tsəŋ22	书虫	书虫/书呆子	bookworm
地基	i32 gi21	地基	地基	building foundation
基地	gi33 i32	基地	基地	(military, exploration) base
基础	gi33 tsɔ55	基础	基础	basis, foundation
基本	gi33 bɔŋ55	基本	基本	basic
过龙	gɔ33 ləŋ22	过龙	过头	too much	Example: 熟过龙 overcooked.
过时	gɔ33 si22	过时	过时	outdated
过期	gɔ33 ki22	过期	过期	expired
好过	hɔu55 gɔ33(5)	好过	好过	having an easy time, feeling better
过分	gɔ33 fun32(5)	过分	过分	excessive
头过	həu22 gɔ21	头过	第一遭	(fluid) from first filtering/pressing
馊	ɬək55	馊	坏	turn sour, rotten, spoil
红药水	həŋ22 yiak21 sui55	红汞水	红药水	merbromin, Mercurochrome
蓝药水	lam22 yiak21 sui55	蓝药水	紫药水	crystal violet, gentian violet
人才	ŋin22 tɔi22	人才	人才	talented person, talent; human resources
蠢	tsun55	蠢	蠢	stupid, foolish, dull
蠢材	tsun55 tɔi22	蠢材	蠢材	fool
天才	hein33 tɔi22	天才	天才	genius
才子	tɔi22 du55	才子	才子	gifted scholar
气管	hi33 gɔn55	气管	气管	trachea, windpipe
濑尿	lai32 niau32	濑尿	尿在裤子里	to wet one's pant
攋屎	lai32 si55	攋屎	拉在裤子里	to soil one's pants
千祈	tein33ki22	千祈	千万	(command/request) never	Example: 千祈唔好吃烟哇! Don't ever smoke!
不溜	but55 liu325	不溜	一向	always, all the time
先至	ɬein33 dzi33	先至	才	only, just
就来	diu32 lɔi22	就嚟	就要	to be about to, to be going to
卒之	dut55 dzi33	卒之	终于	finally
终须	dzəŋ33 sui33	终须	终究	eventually, in the end, after all
好	hɔu55	好	很	very
十分之	sip32 fun33 dzi33	十分之	十分	very	Literally 'ten score.'
连气	lein22 hi335	连气	一连	in a row, in succession
但凡	an32 fan33	但凡	凡是	all, every
逢系	fəŋ22 hai32	逢系	凡是	all, every
实	sit32	实	一定	for sure, must
专登	dzɔn33 aŋ335	专登	故意	deliberately, intentionally, purposely
特登	ak32 aŋ335	特登	特地	specially, for a special purpose, purposely
直头	dzɛt32 həu22	直头	直接	direct; directly
同埋	həŋ22 mɔi22	同埋	和	and, with, together with
一係	yit55 hai32	一係	要么	how about, either
固之然	gu33 dzi33 ŋein225	固之然	固然	admittedly, without a doubt, of course
唔单只	m22 an33 dzi55	唔单只	不但	not only
吱嘛	dzi55 ma33	吱嘛	罢了	(sentence ending particle) let it pass, it is only so	Example: 一毫子吱嘛 It's only a dime.
花哩花碌	fa33 li55 fa33 lək55	花哩花碌	花斑斑	(pattern) patched, bright and high-contrast
光猛	gɔŋ33 maŋ21(5)	光猛	亮堂堂	brightly lit
兴	hein33	兴	时兴	popular, fashionable, in vogue	Example: 今年兴短裙 Short skirt is fashionable this year.