Interesting Cantonese Phrases

can you tell their origins?

Cantonese phrases came from all sorts of background. Some of them came from ancient Chinese language, some from ancient dialects of the local minorities, some even from transliteration of various foreign languages. Many Cantonese phrases also have interesting historical background that traces back to our ancester’s days.

There are also a lot of interesting two-part folk wisecracks in Cantonese. You may want to check out this list, too.

Please feel free to contact me (Zmx5aW5nQGZseWluZy13Lm5ldA==) shall you want to share your collection of Cantonese phrases.

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Phrases	Pronunciation	Meaning	Source		Remarks
Phrases	Pronunciation	Meaning	Time	Origin	Remarks
[ɑ-]
[ɐ-]
[ɔ-‖o-]
[p-]
[pʰ-]
[m-‖m̩-]
mo¹lo¹caa¹	对肤色黝黑的（特别是来自印度半岛的）人的蔑称
摸盲盲	mo² maang⁴maang¹	小儿以巾掩目，暗中摸索			不同于【伏匿匿】【捉伊人】；比较“盲摸摸”。
摸门钉	mo² mun⁴deng¹	叫闭门羹
无情情	mou⁴cing⁴cing⁴	无端，无缘无故
无厘头	mou⁴ lei⁴tau⁴	没有来由的，不知所谓的，无意义的	80、90年代	香港
冇符	mou⁵ fu⁴ ‖ mou² fu⁴	没有办法
冇搭霎	mou⁵ daap⁸saap⁸	做事儿戏，虎头蛇尾
冇得弹	mou⁵dak⁷ taan⁴	无可挑剔的，非常好的
冇雷公咁远		形容非常遥远或偏僻的地方
mou⁵ leoi⁴gung¹ gam³jyun⁵		形容非常遥远或偏僻的地方
冇眼睇	mou⁵ ngaan⁵ tai²	形容不想管闲事，当作没有看到；眼不见为净，不忍卒睹
冇阴功	mou⁵ jam¹gung¹	缺德			近义【阴骘】；辨识【阴功】
木嘴	muk⁷zeoi²	骂别人傻呆呆的			近义【茂尼】，但更侧重指外表。
木独	muk⁹duk⁹	形容人木讷，有点迟钝
[f-]
[t-]
[tʰ-]
[n-]
[l-]
[k-]
[kʰ-]
[kʷ-]
[kʷʰ-]
[ŋ-‖ŋ̩-]
[h-]
[ʦ-‖ʨ-]
[ʦʰ-‖ʨʰ-]
[s-‖ɕ-]
[w-]
[j-]

Interesting Cantonese Phrases

can you tell their origins?

[ɑ-]

[ɐ-]

[ɔ-‖o-]

[p-]

[pʰ-]

[m-‖m̩-]

[f-]

[t-]

[tʰ-]

[n-]

[l-]

[k-]

[kʰ-]

[kʷ-]

[kʷʰ-]

[ŋ-‖ŋ̩-]

[h-]

[ʦ-‖ʨ-]

[ʦʰ-‖ʨʰ-]

[s-‖ɕ-]

[w-]

[j-]