Cantonese

[kan-tn-eez, -ees]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

plural

Cantonese

a Chinese language spoken in Canton, the surrounding area of southern China, and Hong Kong.
a native or inhabitant of Canton, China.

adjective

pertaining to Canton, China, its inhabitants, or their language.

Cantonese

/ ˌ��æ�Գ�əˈ�Ծ�ː�� /

noun

the Chinese language spoken in the city of Canton, Guangdong and Guanxi provinces, Hong Kong, and elsewhere outside China
a native or inhabitant of the city of Canton or Guangdong province

adjective

of or relating to the city of Canton, Guangdong province, or the Chinese language spoken there

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Word History and Origins

Origin of Cantonese¹

First recorded in 1855–60; Canton + -ese

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Wang, an industrial designer, is Taiwanese, while Lin, a marketing MBA working in the legal field, is Cantonese.

From

It is likely to help him reach more voters: English proficiency is low - at about 25% to 26% - among Australians who primarily speak Mandarin or Cantonese at home, according to government data.

From

Claudia Mo, known affectionately in Cantonese as Auntie Mo, is among the most well known of the group.

From

But there are also dozens of other languages including Cantonese, Thai, Punjabi and Hindi.

From

Kasumi and her husband only speak in Cantonese to their daughter, and the family often watches Cantonese films together.

From

Canton enamel Canton flannel

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