Taishanese	IPA	Cantonese	Mandarin	English	Notes
人日	ŋin22 ŋit325	人日	人日	birthday of all human beings	According to custom, human beings were created on the 7th day of the first Lunar month.
唔得了	mak33 liau55	唔得了	不得了	extraordinary, calamitous	Assimilation: [m22 ak33 liau55] → [mak33 liau55]
惯势了	gan33 sai33 liau55	奉旨	理所当然	taken for granted	Colloquial expression: Don't get too used to it! Usually direct toward kids with bad habits.
了解	liau55 gai55	了解	了解	to understand
一了百了	yit55 liau55 bak33 liau55	一了百了	一了百了	once and for all; to die
不了了之	but55 liau55 liau55 dzi33	不了了之	不了了之	to settle a matter by leaving it unsettled; end up with nothing
有宝	yiu33 bɔu55	宝贝	宝贵	precious (usually apply to children)
有冇	yiu33 mɔu55	有冇	有没有	Is there ... ? Have (somebody) ... ?	Literally have or have not.
有料	yiu33 liau325	有料	能干的	competent, capable	Literally (soup/porridge) have substance. Also refer to information/tips received in Hong Kong police movies.
有約	yiu33 yiak55	有約	有約会	have an appointment or date
有功	yiu33 gǝŋ33	有功	有功劳	have made great contribution, have performed meritorious servicee
有两手	yiu33 liaŋ55 siu55	有两手	有点本事	(person) quite capable, with certain skill
有能本事	yiu33 naŋ22 bɔn55 ɬu325	有本事	能够	(vivid) have the ability to
梗有	gaŋ55 yiu33	梗有	一定有	for sure have
还有	van21 yiu33	重有	还有	in addition, furthermore
有声有色	yiu33 sein33 yiu33 sɛt55	有声有色	有声有色	(to describe an event) vividly
中规中矩	dzǝŋ33 ki33 dzǝŋ33 gui55	中规中矩	中规中矩	conforming to conventional rules
钟意	dzǝŋ33 ki33 dzǝŋ33 gui55	钟意	喜欢	to like, to appreciate, to fall in love with
睇中	hai55 dzǝŋ33	睇中	看中	to settle on (someone for a position or relationship), to settle on (something)
讲中	gɔŋ55 dzǝŋ33	讲中	不幸言中	(unfortunately) turned out to be true; to guess correctly
估中	gu55 dzǝŋ33	估中	猜到	to guess out correctly, to read someone's mind
中气	dzǝŋ33 hi33	中气	中气	(Chinese Medicine) Middle-Qi: a type of vital energy.	One's low energy level in oral communication is a symptom of the deficit of Middle-Qi (中气不足).
台中	hɔi22 dzǝŋ335	台中	台中	Taishan Middle School	Contraction of Taishan No. 1 High School (台山第一中学). Established in 1909 and supported generously by the Taishanese Diaspora, the school is the most prestigious high school in Taishan.
台中	hɔi22 dzǝŋ33	台中	台中	Taichung (a city in Taiwan)
中秋	dzǝŋ33 tiu33	中秋	中秋	the Mid-Autumn Festival
中庸	dzǝŋ33 yǝŋ22	中庸	中庸	the Law of the Golden Mean
中奖	dzǝŋ33 diaŋ55	中奖	中奖	to win the lottery, to win a drawing
中弹	dzǝŋ33 an325	中弹	中弹	be hit by a bullet, to be shot
讲係	gɔŋ55 hai32	先至係	只不过是	It is only ...
真係	dzin33 hai32	真係	真是	really
一係	yit55 hai32	一係	或者	or, alternatively
一唔係	yit55 mai32	一唔係	或者	or, alternatively, otherwise	Assimilation: [yit55 m22 hai32] → [yit55 mai32]
梗係	gaŋ55 hai32	梗係	老是	(accusatorymust have
但係	an32 hai32	但係	但是	but
即係	dɛt55 hai32	即係	就是	that is, exactly
係靠(啦)	hai32 kɔu215 (la55)	係噉先	就这样吧	That's it for now!
讲是非	gɔŋ55 si32 fi33(5)	讲是非	胡扯/闲话	to gossip
是是非非	si32 si32 fi33 fi33	八卦	多嘴多舌	gossipy, scandalous	Literal: complexity (of an event or relationship); Colloquial: gossipy
利是封	li32 si32 fəŋ335	利是封	红包袋子	envelope for thelucky money
是但	si32 an32	是但	随便	one way or the other， it doesn't matter
日日如是	ŋit32 ŋit32 ŋui22 si32	日日如是	天天如此	same old stuff everyday
大是大非	ai32 si32 ai32 fi33	大是大非	大是大非	of principle, major
年	nein22	年	年	year; annual
旧年	giu32 nein225	旧年	去年	last year
出年	tsu55 nein225	出年	明年	next year
埋年	mɔi22 nein22	埋年	(腊月)	(dates) toward the end of the year	Example: 埋年廿九 the 29th of December (usually of the lunar calendar).
年头	nein22 hǝu22	年头	年初	at the beginning of the year
年尾	nein22 mi55	年尾	年底	toward the end of the year
年班	nein22 ban335	年班	年级	grade, school year	Example: 读一年班 to be in the first grade.
一年到晚	yit55 nein22 au33 man21	一年到晚	长年	all year long
年纪	nein22 gi55	年纪	年纪	age
青年	tein33 nein22(5)	青年	青年	young; youth, young people
年会	nein22 vɔi325	年会	年会	annual conference, annual meeting
年代	nein22 ɔi32	年代	年代	(a historical) period, epoch
和平鸽	vuɔ22 pein22 gap215	和平鸽	和平鸽	dove (as a symbol of peace)
和解	vuɔ22 gai55	和解	和解	reconciliation, settle
和式	vuɔ22 sɛt55	和式	和式	Japanese style
大	ai32	大	大	big, large; stout; adult; very; oldest
孙大炮	ɬun33 ai32 pɔu33	孙大炮	孙大炮	'the Sun who talks big' - Nick name given to Dr. Sun Yat-sen by the Cantonese
讲大话	gɔŋ55 ai32 va32(5)	讲大话	骗人	to lie	Literally 'to talk the big talk.'
大个佬	ai32 gɔi33 lau55	大人	大人	(children) a grown-up, a big people
大只佬	ai32 dziak33 lau55	大只佬	壮汉	a big size man, a strong man
大量	ai32 liaŋ32(5)	大方	大方	generous, forgiving
大把	ai32 ba55	大把	很多	many, a lot
大搂	ai32 lǝu335	大搂	大衣	overcoat
大姨	ai32 yi22	姨妈	姨妈	aunt (mother's older sister)
大晒	ai32 ɬai33	大晒	最大	too big for boots
大使	ai32 sɔi55	大使	好花钱	squander (of money)	Also [ai32 ɬu55]: ambassador.
大仔	ai32 dɔi55	大仔	长子	the oldest son
大女	ai32 nui55	大女	长女	the oldest daughter
大肚腩	ai32 u55 nam215	大肚腩	大肚子	potbelly
大肚婆	ai32 u55 pɔ215	大肚婆	孕妇	an expectant mother in her advanced stage of pregnancy
大肚	ai32 u55	大肚	怀孕	pregnant
大食懒	ai32 sɛt32 lan215	大食懒	懒骨头	lazybones
几大	gi55 ai325	几大	无论如何	no matter what, anyhow
托大脚	hɔk33 ai32 giak33	托大脚	奉承	to kiss ass
洗大饼	ɬai55 ai32 biaŋ55	洗大饼	洗碗	to wash dish	Literally 'to wash big disc.' An expression used by Cantonese immigrants to describe their jobs in the kitchens of Chinese restaurants.
大啖	ai32 am32	大啖	大口	>a big mouthful
大人大姐	ai32 ŋin22 ai32 dia55	大人大姐	成年人	(vivid) a grown-up
大只累累	ai32 dziak33 lui22 lui22	大只累累	个子大	(vivid) big and strong
中大	dzǝŋ33 ai32	中大	中大	Sun Yat-sen University (广州中山大学) in Guangzhou(Canton); The Chinese University of Hong Kong (香港中文大学)
大锅饭	ai32 vok21 fan32	大锅饭	大锅饭	the communal-dining system	Literally 'a big pot of rice', referring to the sharing of wealth in a socialistic economic system.
大胆	ai32 am55	大胆	大胆	bold, courageous	Literally 'big gallbladder.' It is interesting to note that 'to have gall' in English has the same meaning.
工业	gǝŋ33 ŋiap32	工业	工业	industry
农业	nǝŋ33 ŋiap32	农业	农业	agriculture
物业	mɔt32 ŋiap32	物业	物业	agriculture
业主	ŋiap32 dzii55	业主	业主	owner (of real estate property)
毕业	bit55 ŋiap32	毕业	毕业	to graduate; graduation
唔得知	mak32 dzi55	唔通	难道	Could it be that ...	Assimilation: [m22 ak33 dzi55] → [mak33 dzi55]
不知几	but55 dzi33 gi55	唔知几	很	very, extremely
周不时	dziu33 but55 si225	周不时	有时候	sometimes, infrequently
周时	dziu33 si225	周时	经常	quite often
货不对办	fɔ33 but55 ui33 ban325	货不对办	货不对板	not the right type	Also written as 货不对版 and 货不对板. Usually refer to goods not matching order or description.
唔紧要	m22 gin55 yiau33	唔紧要	不要紧	'Don't worry about it'
唔使紧	m22 sɔi55 gin55	唔紧要	不要紧	'Don't worry about it'
唔好郁	mɔu55 ŋǝk33	唔好郁	别动	'Don't move'	Assimilation: [m22 hɔu55 ŋǝk33] → [mɔu55 ŋǝk33]
係唔係	hai32 mai32	係唔係	是不是	Is it true that ... ?	Assimilation: [hai32 m22 hai32] → [hai32 mai32]
唔錯	m22 tɔ33	唔錯	不错	not bad, good
唔该	m22 gɔi33	唔该	劳驾/谢谢	'Would you mind helping me with ...?'; 'Thank you for your help!'	Use alone to thank others for their help, or start a sentence with it to ask for help.
对唔住	ui33 m22 dzi32	对唔住	对不起	'Sorry', 'Please excuse me', 'Pardon me'
耐唔中	nɔi32 m22 dzǝŋ335	耐唔中	有时候	occasionally
差唔多	tsan33 m22 ɔ335	差唔多	差不多	about right	Assimilation: [tsa33 m22 ɔ335] → [tsan33 m22 ɔ335]
唔只	m22 dzi55	唔只	不只	not only, not just
唔成	m22 siaŋ22	唔通	难道	Could it be that ...
唔爭在	m22 tsaŋ33 dɔi32	唔爭在	无所谓	'It does not matter'
唔怪得	m22 gai33 ak33	唔怪得	怪不得	no wonder
唔馨香	m22 hein33 hiaŋ33	唔馨香	不吃香	not popular
睇唔开	hai55 m22 hoi33	睇唔开	想不开	cannot get over something, take things too hard
久(唔)久	giu55 (m22) giu55	久唔久	偶然	occasionally
好噏唔噏	hɔu55 ŋap33 m22 ŋap33	好噏唔噏	胡说乱道	saying the wrong things all the time
唔好意思	m22 hɔu55 yi33 ɬu33	唔好意思	不好意思	feel embarrassed
唔使旨意	m22 sɔi55 dzi55 yi335	唔使旨意	想都别想	don't even think about it
睇唔过眼	hai55 m22 guɔ33 ŋan55	睇唔过眼	看不过去/忍不住	could not help, could not resist, cannot walk away from
制唔過	dzai33 m22 guɔ33	制唔過	划不来	not worth it
生人唔生胆	saŋ33 ŋin22 m22 saŋ33 am55	生人唔生胆	胆小怕死	timid, fearful	Literally 'have no gall.'
有辣有唔辣	yiu55 lat32 yiu33 m22 lat32	有辣有唔辣	一柄双刃剑	a double-edged sword	Idiom: part hot part not
不幸	but55 haŋ32	不幸	不幸	unfortunately
唔使问阿贵	m22 sɔi55 mun32 a33 gi33	唔使问阿贵	显而易见/人所皆知	'It is well known and obvious'	Idiom: There's no need to ask Gui.
皮费	pi22 fi33	皮费	经营成本	overhead of a businese
维皮	vi22 pi225	维皮	够本	to cover the overhead of a businese
为人	vi22 ŋin22	为人	为人/做人	behavior, conduct, personality
为人	vi32 ŋin225	为人	无私/大方	unselfish, generous	Literally 'for other people.'
为乜	vi32 mɔt55	为乜	为什么	why， for what
有为	yiu21 vi22	有为	有为	promising, full of potential
无为	mu22 vi22	无为	无为	the Taoist Doctrine of Inaction
行为	haŋ22 vi22	行为	行为	action, behavior
发气	fat33 hi335	发嬲	生气	to get angry
发吽	fat33 ŋǝu325	发吽豆	发呆	daze, numb, in a trance
发福	fat33 fǝk55	发福	发胖	(euphemism) get fat
发烂渣	fat33 lan32 dza55	发烂渣	无理取闹/耍无赖	to throw a tantrum for no reason
发豆芽	fat33 ǝu32 ŋa22	发豆芽	发豆芽	to germinate sprouts
梳化	sɔ55 fa215	梳化	沙发	sofa	Transliteration of 'sofa.'
电发	ein32 fat55	电发	电发	to perm; a perm
假发	ga55 fat55	假发	假发	wig
会	vɔi32	会	会	to meet; association; city/town; be able to; will/shall	Verb: [vɔi32] to meet, [vɔi21] will/shall, to be able to, can. Noun: [vɔi325] meeting, association, town. Traditional Form: 會.
会错意	vɔi32 tɔ33 yi33	会错意	误解	wig
拜会	bai33 vɔi32	拜会	拜会	to pay a visit to
会馆	vɔi32 gɔn55	会馆	会馆	to pay a visit to
三合会	ɬam33 hap32 vɔi325	三合会	三合会	Triad (the underground society)
开会	hɔi33 vɔi325	开会	开会	to hold a meeting, to attend a meeting
会党	vɔi325 ɔŋ55	会党	会党	secret parties/associations
误会	m32 vɔi32	误会	误会	to misunderstand, to misinterpret; misunderstanding, misinterpretation
会计	vɔi32 gai33	会计	会计	accountant
会话	vɔi32 va325	会话	会话	conversation
新会	ɬin33 vɔi32	新会	新会	Xinhui, name of a county (part of the Four Counties)
会煮饭	vɔi21 dzi55 fan32	识煮饭	会煮	can cook
硬係	ŋaŋ325 hai32	硬係	老是	(accusatory)all the time, forever the same, just, insist upon