Cantonese

[kan-tn-eez, -ees]

noun

plural

Cantonese 

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

2. a native or inhabitant of Canton, China.

adjective

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

Cantonese

/ ˌkæntəˈniːz /

noun

1. the Chinese language spoken in the city of Canton, Guangdong and Guanxi provinces, Hong Kong, and elsewhere outside China

2. a native or inhabitant of the city of Canton or Guangdong province

adjective

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of Cantonese¹

First recorded in 1855–60; Canton + -ese

Example Sentences

As Cantonese speakers, her parents, who settled the family in Quincy, Massachusetts, weren’t plugged into the parent-school network.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“Here, I barely exist,” he continues, calling himself a gweilo, a Cantonese term for a foreign ghost cloaked in invisibility.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The article alleged that the attacker - who knew simple phrases in Cantonese - targeted many of his victims near train stations and tricked them with the offer of fake jobs.

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Our order walks the line between Cantonese classics that would suit Hemingway’s taste and dishes that surprise then please.

Read more on Salon

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

Read more on Los Angeles Times