Workplace words and phrases

Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— Cantonese (Chinese)
Guidelines for Use
© RDNS
January 2007
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ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— Cantonese (Chinese)
Introduction to Chinese Written and
Chinese Spoken - Cantonese
CANTONESE
The written form of the Chinese language is based on characters of square shape (such as
), not an alphabet. Chinese characters do not represent sounds. A Chinese character can be
pronounced in many different ways in different Chinese dialects. Pronunciations of different Chinese
dialects are so varied that Chinese people speaking different dialects often cannot communicate
amongst themselves orally. Cantonese, being spoken by a lot of Australian Chinese and people in
Hong Kong, is one of these Chinese dialects.
The Chinese language is a tonal language. One pronunciation usually has seven tones to represent
different characters, and different meanings, in Cantonese. Tones are slightly different stresses of
pronouncing characters. However, there seems to be no simple way to correctly indicate tones of
characters in a sentence.
Please be informed the following issues in using the workplace words and phrases:
In English: we say “Mr. Wang” and “Mrs. Wang”. But we should say in a different word order in
Cantonese, such as
(Wang Mr. ) and “
”(Wang Mrs.).
“Good Afternoon” is a written expression of greetings in Cantonese. Therefore, we just say “Hello”
instead of “Good Afternoon”.
© RDNS
January 2007
Page 2 of 6
ACHS L1
Workplace words and phrases
— Cantonese (Chinese)
Royal District Nursing Service
Topic 1: GREETINGS
English
Chinese
Closest Pronunciation in
English
Hello
Ley ho
Good morning
Jo sun
Good afternoon *
Ley ho
Good evening
Mahn seung ho
Good night
Mahn on
What is your name?
Ley giu mutt meng?
I am a nurse
Or hai woo si
My name is
Or gay merng hai
Mr …… / Mrs ……
......
/ ......
…… sin sanng / …… tai tai
I am happy to si you again
Ho hoy sum yow gin doh lay la
No
Mm hai
Yes
hai
Good
ho
Do you understand me?
Ley teng duck ming or gong gay wa
ma?
I understand
Or teng duck ming
I don’t understand you
Or teng mm ming ley gong gay wa
Do you need an interpreter?
Ley soi yiu chuen yerk yoon ma?
I need an interpreter
Or soi yiu chuen yerk yoon
© RDNS
January 2007
Page 3 of 6
ACHS L1
Workplace words and phrases
— Cantonese (Chinese)
Royal District Nursing Service
Topic 2: MAKING / CHANGING APPOINTMENTS
English
Chinese
Closest Pronunciation in
English
At what time?
Or hor yee hai seng kei gei lay tahm
ley?
Mutt yeh si gan ley?
Monday
Seng kei yutt
Tuesday
Seng kei yee
Wednesday
Seng kei sum
Thursday
Seng kei say
Friday
Seng kei mm
Saturday
Seng kei lok
Sunday
Seng kei yat
Morning
Seung mm
Noon
Jong mm
Afternoon
Ha mm
Evening / Night
Mahn seung
What day can I visit you?
I need to……
Or yiu ……
……
Make a phone call
Speak……
Da din wa
……
Da din wa bei ……
to your doctor
Ley gay yee sanng
to your family
Ley gay gar yan
to your son
Ley gay jay
to your daughter
Ley gay loi
to your husband
Ley gay sin sanng
to your wife
Ley gay tai tai
to your brother
Ley gay heng die
to your sister
Ley gay zi mui
I need to change our visit time
Or yiu goi or dei gay tahm fong si gahn
© RDNS
January 2007
Page 4 of 6
ACHS L1
Workplace words and phrases
— Cantonese (Chinese)
Royal District Nursing Service
Topic 3: MEDICAL PROBLEMS
English
Chinese
Closest Pronunciation in
English
How are you?
Ley ho ma?
Where does it hurt?
Bin doe yau mang tai?
The chemist will bring your
tablets this afternoon / tomorrow
Gum yat ha mm / teng yat yerk jai
si wooi dye yolk bei ley
/
Show me the medications that
you are taking
Bei or tei ha lei sic gay yolk
I want you to take your medicine
Ley yiu sic yolk sin duck
Can you get yourself some
water?
Ley nung zi gay lor shui ma?
I need to……
Or yiu ……
……
Check your blood pressure
Gim cha ley gay hute art
Take your pulse
Gim cha ley gay muck bok
Change your dressing
Tong ley woon yerk
Ambulance
Gow woo che
Doctor
Yee sanng
Medicine
Yolk
Are you constipated?
Ley yuw mow or si mm chut
Do you have diabetes?
Ley yuw mow tong liu beng?
© RDNS
Jauuary 2007
Page 5 of 6
ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— Cantonese (Chinese)
Topic 4: FAREWELL
English
Chinese
Closest Pronunciation in
English
You can ring me on …….
Ley hor yee dar din wa bei or, din
wa ho ma hey ……
......
Thank you
Dor jay
I’m pleased to have met you
Kin doh ley ho hoy sum
You are welcome
Mm sey hark hey
Good - bye
Joy kin
Keep well
Bow jong
Take care / All the best / Good
luck
© RDNS
/
/
January 2007
Bow jong / jok ley yeng yeng dowe
gom ho / jok ley ho won
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ACHS L1