Cantonese

noun

Can·​ton·​ese ˌkan-tə-ˈnēz How to pronounce Cantonese (audio)
-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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An unlikely relationship begins — one that has to surmount a language barrier: The women communicate haltingly in English, French and Cantonese. George Gene Gustines, New York Times, 1 June 2025 Wang, an industrial designer, is Taiwanese, while Lin, a marketing MBA working in the legal field, is Cantonese. Lina Abascal, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2025 Producers Lyu Yue, Mo Jinjin, and Duan Tingting from Star Lab Production present the film in both Cantonese and Putonghua. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Apr. 2025 One shop near the beach commissioned a sign explaining surf etiquette, complete with an illustration of a surfer shouting a Cantonese expletive after being hit in the head with someone else’s board. Erin Mendell, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Cantonese

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of Cantonese was in 1857

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cantonese.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Cantonese. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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