Cantonese

noun

Can·​ton·​ese ˌkan-tə-ˈnēz 

-ˈnēs

plural Cantonese

1

: a native or inhabitant of Guangzhou, China

2

: the dialect of Chinese spoken in Guangzhou and Hong Kong

3

: a style of Chinese cooking that emphasizes fresh ingredients, subtle tastes, and relatively mild sauces

Cantonese adjective

Examples of Cantonese in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The surveys were conducted over the phone, in English and both Mandarin and Cantonese dialects, as well as online, and touched on a number of topics, from cultural identity and acceptance to political engagement and U.S.-China relations. —Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 25 Sep. 2024

The survey was offered in English, Chinese dialects of Mandarin and Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Korean and was administered either online over the phone with a live interviewer, depending on the preference of the respondent. —Niala Boodhoo, Axios, 24 Sep. 2024

People from Hong Kong speak mainly Cantonese, whereas mainland Chinese mainly speak Mandarin. —Jack Guy, CNN, 23 Sep. 2024

Two children born in the United States never learned Cantonese at all. —Madeleine Schwartz Soneela Nankani Tanya Pérez Brian St. Pierre, New York Times, 14 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Canton Guangzhou, ultimately from Portuguese Cantão, from Chinese (Guangzhou) Gwóngdūng Guangdong

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined at sense 1