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Dr. Cantonese: Western Loan Words in Cantonese (I)

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Hello, everybody, this is Dr. Cantonese (Chapman Chen) speaking. There are quit a few interesting Western loan words in Hong Kong Cantonese. Let us look at some of them.

si6dik1士的means or stick. dik1si6的士means taxi.

baa1si6 巴士means bus. si6do1士多means store.

do1si6多士means toast. bo1si6波士 means boss.

For example, zaa1zyu6 zi1 si6dik1揸住支士的,heoi3 daap3 dik1si6去搭的士,daap3 jyun4 dik1si6搭完的士,daap3 baa1si6搭巴士,heoi3 dou3 si6do1去到士多,sik6 do1si6食多士,sik6jyun4 do1si6食完多士,zong6dou3 gau6 bo1si6撞到舊波士。

In other words, holding a stick, I go take a taxi. After taking the taxi, I take a bus. When I reach a store, I buy a toast. After eating the toast, I run into my former boss.

zaa1zyu6 zi1 si6dik1揸住支士的: zaa1zyu6 holding. si6dik1 stick. zi1 is a classifier for stick.

heoi3 daap3 dik1si6去搭的士: heoi3 go to. daap3 to take. dik1si6 taxi.

daap3 jyun4 dik1si6搭完的士: daap3 jyun4 after taking. dik1si6 taxi.

daap3 baa1si6搭巴士daap3 to take. baa1si6 bus.

heoi3 dou3 si6do1去到士多: heoi3dou3 after reaching. si6do1 store.

sik6 do1si6食多士: sik6 to eat. do1si6 toast.

sik6jyun4 do1si6食完多士: sik6jyun4 after eating. do1si6 toast.

zong6dou3 gau6 bo1si6撞到舊波士: zong6dou3 to bump into. gau6 means former or old. bo1si6 boss.
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