ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cantonese

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌkæntəˈniz// can·tonese

adj. relating to the language or people of Guangzhou in southern China, Hong Kong, and Macau. You use this to describe the food, culture, or speech from that region.

adj. relating to the Yue Chinese language or the people and culture of the Pearl River Delta region. Often used attributively to describe linguistic or cultural exports from southern China.


SIMPLE

We went to a great Cantonese restaurant last night.

CONTEXTUAL

The film was shot entirely in Cantonese to maintain the cultural authenticity of its Hong Kong setting.

COMPLEX

The Cantonese diaspora has established vibrant communities worldwide, ensuring that the region's distinct culinary traditions and linguistic heritage remain influential far beyond the borders of southern China.

Origin

From Canton + -ese.

Usage

Typically capitalised; functions as a relational adjective that precedes the noun it modifies.

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