Cantonese

American  

[kan-tn-eez, -ees] / ˌkæn tnˈiz, -ˈis /

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.

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adjective

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

Cantonese British  

/ 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

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adjective

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

Etymology

Origin of Cantonese

First recorded in 1855–60; Canton + -ese

Example Sentences

Mrs. Kuen finally broke the strained silence and addressed me in Cantonese.

From Literature

Then she began to speak—a stream of language—of English and Latin, Arabic and Russian, Cantonese, Pashto, Dragon, Sphinx.

From Literature

It’s the only resort in the Maldives with a Zuma, and its Cantonese restaurant, Li Long, a Peking duck expert from Beijing, helms the country’s first wood-fired oven.

From Salon

But to try one of Vancouver’s most beloved Chinese restaurants, make for Chinatown BBQ, where the checkerboard floors and hanging meat evoke a classic Cantonese chopshop.

From The Wall Street Journal

It’s a Cantonese phrase that in its most innocuous use means naughty or petulant.

From Los Angeles Times