Looking for practical Chinese (Simplified) (中文) to Cantonese phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Chinese (Simplified) phrase first, then the Cantonese translation (Cantonese) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Cantonese.
Tip: focus on one section per day (travel Monday, dining Tuesday, and so on) if you are preparing for a Cantonese-speaking trip in a few weeks.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Chinese (Simplified) (中文) to Cantonese translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
你好
你好(nei5 hou2)
谢谢
多謝(do1 ze6)
早上好
早唞(zou2 tau2)
下午好
午安(ng5 on1)
晚上好
晚上好(maan5 soeng6 hou2)
晚安
晚安(maan5 on1)
再见
再見(zoi3 gin3)
再见
再見(zoi3 gin3)
你叫什么名字?
你叫咩名?(nei5 giu3 me1 meng2)
我叫约翰
我叫John(ngo5 giu3 John)
你好吗?
你好嗎?(nei5 hou2 maa3)
很高兴认识你
好高興見到你(hou2 gou1 hing3 gin3 dou3 nei5)
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.