Meanings
adjectiveCantonese (not comparable)
- not comparableRelating to Cantonese people.
- not comparableRelating to Cantonese language.
- not comparableRelating to Cantonese food/cuisine.
nounCantonese (countable and uncountable, plural Cantonese)
- uncountableA Sinitic language mainly spoken in the south-eastern part of Mainland China, Guangdong (Canton), Hong Kong, Macau, by the Chinese minorities in Southeast Asia and by many overseas Chinese worldwide.
As a mainland China national, the counter for our trial was fluent in English, Putonghua, and the Sichuan dialect, and was familiar with a number of other major Chinese languages such as Cantonese and Hakka.
2019, Li Huang, James Lambert, “Another Arrow for the Quiver: A New Methodology for Multilingual Researchers”, in Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, →DOI, page 101 more example
Each written word when spoken is mutually incomprehensible between a Mandarin speaker in Beijing and a Cantonese speaker in Hong Kong. If you think that’s odd, consider our number system: the symbol “9” is universally recognized but it’s pronounced “nine” in English and “devet” in Slovenian.
2021 April 25, John Malathronas, “Which languages are easiest – and most difficult – for native English speakers to learn?”, in CNN, archived from the original on 22 Mar 2022 - countablein pluralAn inhabitant of Canton; a person of Canton descent.
1 more example
The alliance was headed by a mustached Cantonese with a broad face, piercing eyes, and a great sympathy for the poor and downtrodden, a man who reveled in "action at all costs and whatever the risks." This was Sun Yat-sen, a visionary who lacked practical political skills but nonetheless became the hallowed "Father of the Republic" upon his death.
2000, Stella Dong, Shanghai The Rise and Fall of a Decadent City, HarperCollins, page 85
Synonyms & antonyms
Similar
Narrower
Cantonese dialectHoisanese/Toisanese/TaishaneseHong Kong Cantonese
nounthe dialect of Chinese spoken in Canton and neighboring provinces and in Hong Kong and elsewhere outside China
Similar
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
Arabic كَانْتُونِيّ, كَنْتُونِيّ
- كَانْتُونِيّ (kāntūniyy)relating to Canton
- كَنْتُونِيّ (kantūniyy)relating to Canton
- كَانْتُونِيَّة (kāntūniyya)relating to the Cantonese language
- كَنْتُونِيَّة (kantūniyya)relating to the Cantonese language
- كَانْتُونِيّ (kantūniyy)person from Canton
- كَانْتُونِيَّة (kantūniyya)person from Canton
- كَانْتُونِيَّة (kantūniyya)language
Catalan cantonès, cantonès
- cantonèsrelating to Canton
- cantonèsrelating to the Cantonese people
- cantonèsrelating to the Cantonese language
- cantonèsperson from Canton
- cantonesaperson from Canton
- cantonèslanguage
Chinese Cantonese 廣東嘅 /广东嘅, 廣東人 /广东人
- 廣東嘅 /广东嘅 (gwong² dung¹ ge³)relating to Canton
- 廣東人 /广东人 (gwong² dung¹ jan⁴)relating to the Cantonese people
- 廣東話 /广东话 (gwong² dung¹ waa²)relating to the Cantonese language
- 粵語 /粤语 (jyut⁶ jyu⁵)relating to the Cantonese language
- 廣東人 /广东人 (gwong² dung¹ jan⁴)person from Canton
- 廣州人 /广州人 (gwong² zau¹ jan⁴)person from Canton
- 廣東話 /广东话 (gwong² dung¹ waa²)language
- 粵語 /粤语 (jyut⁶ jyu⁵)language
- 廣府話 /广府话 (gwong² fu² waa²)language
- 白話 /白话language
Chinese Mandarin 廣州話 /广州话, 廣東人 /广东人
- 廣州話 /广州话 (guǎngzhōuhuà)relating to the Cantonese language
- 廣東人 /广东人 (Guǎngdōngrén)person from Canton
- 廣州人 /广州人 (guǎngzhōurén)person from Canton
- 粵語 /粤语 (yuèyǔ)language
- 廣東話 /广东话 (guǎngdōnghuà)language
Czech kantonština
- kantonštinalanguage
Danish kantonesisk
- kantonesisklanguage
Dutch Kantonees, Kantonees
- Kantoneesrelating to Canton
- Kantoneesrelating to the Cantonese people
- Kantoneesrelating to the Cantonese language
- Kantoneesperson from Canton
- Kantoneseperson from Canton
- Kantoneeslanguage
Finnish kantonilainen, kantonilainen
- kantonilainenrelating to Canton
- kantonilainenrelating to the Cantonese people
- kantoninkielinenrelating to the Cantonese language
- kantonilainenperson from Canton
- kantoninkiinalanguage
French cantonais, cantonais
- cantonaisrelating to Canton
- cantonaisrelating to the Cantonese people
- cantonaisrelating to the Cantonese language
- Cantonaisperson from Canton
- Cantonaiseperson from Canton
- cantonaislanguage
German kantonesisch, kantonesisch
- kantonesischrelating to Canton
- kantonesischrelating to the Cantonese people
- kantonesischrelating to the Cantonese language
- Kantoneseperson from Canton
- Kantonesinperson from Canton
- Kantonesischlanguage
Greek καντονέζικα
- καντονέζικα (kantonézika)language
Irish Cantainis
- Cantainislanguage
Italian cantonese, cantonese
- cantoneserelating to Canton
- cantoneserelating to the Cantonese people
- cantoneserelating to the Cantonese language
- cantoneseperson from Canton
- cantoneselanguage
Japanese 広東の, 広東人の
- 広東の (Kanton no)relating to Canton
- 広東人の (Kantonjin no)relating to the Cantonese people
- 広東語の (Kantongo no)relating to the Cantonese language
- 広東人 (Kantonjin)person from Canton
- 広東語 粤語 (Kantongo)language
Korean 광동(廣東)의, 광동(廣東)사람
- 광동(廣東)의 (Gwangdong-ui)relating to Canton
- 광동(廣東)사람 (Gwangdongsaram)relating to the Cantonese people
- 광동어 (Gwangdong'eo)relating to the Cantonese language
- 광동(廣東)말 (Gwangdongmal)relating to the Cantonese language
- 광동(廣東)사람 (Gwangdongsaram)person from Canton
- 광둥어 (Gwangdung'eo)language
- 광동어 (Gwangdong'eo)language
- 월어 (Woreo)language
Malay Kanton, orang Kanton
- Kantonrelating to Canton
- orang Kantonrelating to the Cantonese people
- Kantonrelating to the Cantonese people
- bahasa Kantonrelating to the Cantonese language
- bahasa Kantonisrelating to the Cantonese language
- Kantonisrelating to the Cantonese language
- orang Kantonperson from Canton
- Kantonperson from Canton
- bahasa Kantonlanguage
- bahasa Kantonislanguage
- Kantonislanguage
Persian زبان کانتونی
- زبان کانتونی (zabân-e kantûni)language
Polish kantoński, kantoński
- kantońskirelating to Canton
- kantońskirelating to the Cantonese people
- kantońskirelating to the Cantonese language
- kantończykperson from Canton
- kantonkaperson from Canton
- kantońskilanguage
Portuguese cantonês, cantonês
- cantonêsrelating to Canton
- cantonêsrelating to the Cantonese people
- cantonêsrelating to the Cantonese language
- cantonêsperson from Canton
- cantonêslanguage
Russian канто́нский, гуанду́нский
- канто́нский (kantónskij)relating to Canton
- гуанду́нский (guandúnskij)relating to Canton
- канто́нский (kantónskij)relating to the Cantonese people
- канто́нский (kantónskij)relating to the Cantonese language
- канто́нец (kantónec)person from Canton
- канто́нка (kantónka)person from Canton
- канто́нский язы́к (kantónskij jazýk)language
- канто́нский (kantónskij)language
- ю́э (júe)language
Spanish cantonés, cantonés
- cantonésrelating to Canton
- cantonésrelating to the Cantonese people
- cantonésrelating to the Cantonese language
- cantonésperson from Canton
- cantonesaperson from Canton
- cantonéslanguage
Swedish kantonesisk, kantonesisk
- kantonesiskrelating to Canton
- kantonesiskrelating to the Cantonese people
- kantonesiskrelating to the Cantonese language
- kantonesperson from Canton
- kantonesiskalanguage
Tagalog Kantones, Kantones
- Kantonesrelating to Canton
- Kantonesrelating to the Cantonese people
- Kantonesrelating to the Cantonese language
- Kantonesperson from Canton
- Kantoneslanguage
Thai ชาวจีนกวางตุ้ง, คนกวางตุ้ง
- ชาวจีนกวางตุ้ง (chaao-jiin-gwaang-dtûng)person from Canton
- คนกวางตุ้ง (kon-gwaang-dtûng)person from Canton
- ภาษาจีนกวางตุ้ง (paa-sǎa-jiin-gwaang-dtûng)language
Turkish Kantonca
- Kantoncalanguage
Urdu کینٹنی
- کینٹنی (keentunee)relating to the Cantonese language
Vietnamese tiếng Quảng Đông
- tiếng Quảng Đônglanguage
Yiddish קאַנטאָנעזיש
- קאַנטאָנעזיש (kantonezish)language
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with Cantonese
pleasediseasefeesJapanesetreeskeysexpertiseoverseaseasePortugueseBelizeprixVietnameseLouisefreezebreezeteespressqueezeLebanesefriesteaseseizeMaltese
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
Cantonese. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Cantonese
MLA
“Cantonese.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Cantonese. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Cantonese,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Cantonese.
Source: Cantonese on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.