10 Cantonese Words Foodies Must Know


Hello guys. Welcome back to Dope Chinese. 我係你哋嘅老师Gloria

I know that lots of friends love Cantonese. Because they are kind of 为食猫[wai6 sik6 maau1] or 为食鬼[wai6 sik6 gwai2].

As a foodie, how could you not describe food like a native Cantonese speaker? Today we are going to learn some texture words about food in Cantonese.

1. 滑 [waat6]

Have you tried this dessert before? This dessert is a famous Cantonese dessert originated from my hometown, Shunde. It’s called 双皮奶[]Double skin milk.

ni1 gaan1 pou3 ge3 soeng1 pei4 naai5 hou2 waat6 aa3!

呢间铺啲双皮奶好滑呀!

The Double skin milk from this store is very smooth.

Or 

nei5 di1 pei4 fu1 hou2 ci5 mok1 hok3 gai1 daan2 gam3 waat6

你啲皮肤好似剥壳鸡蛋咁滑呀!

Your skin is so smooth like peeling eggs.

2. 嚡[haai4] 

The opposite word of 滑 is 嚡[haai4] rough.

Time is very important for cooking. When you cook for a long time, then the meat will be rough 好嚡[hou2 haai4] 

When you are 打边炉 [daa2 bin1 lou4 ] with your friends, and your friends are playing their phones, then you could say,

faai3 di1 gaap3 hei2 di1 juk6 aa3! m4 hai6 haai4 saai3 gaa3 laa3!

快啲夹起啲肉呀!唔係嚡晒架喇!

Take the meat up quickly, or it will be totally rough.

3. 硬

My parents always tell me a story of their past that they helped their parents to cut canes after school. They love cane a lot but

ngo5 m4 zung1 ji3 sik6 ze3, jan1 wai6 ngaau5 hei2 san1 hou2 ngaang6 aa3!

我唔钟意食蔗,因为咬起身好硬呀!

I don’t like cane. Because it’s hard when you take a bite.

 4. 软[jyun5] 

The opposite word is 软 soft.

pou1 cong4 taai3 jyun5 laa3! deoi3 jiu1 gwat1 m4 hou2.

铺床太软喇!对腰骨唔好。

The bed is too soft. It’s not healthy for the spine.

 5. 韧[jan6] 

When the meat is quite chewy, we could say 好韧

ni1 gaan1 faan6 dim3 ge3 gaai3 laan2 caau2 ngau4 juk6 m4 hou2 sik6, keoi5 caau2 dou3 di1 ngau4 juk6 taai3 jan6 laa3!

呢间饭店嘅芥兰炒牛肉唔好食,佢炒到啲牛肉太韧喇!

The Fried Beef with Kale of this restaurant is not delicious. He fried the beef too chewily

 6. 爽口[song2 hau2] 

Fresh, Tasty and a kind of Crispy 

ni1 tiu4 cing1 gwaa1 saang1 sik6 hou2 song2 hau2 aa3!

呢条青瓜生食好爽口呀!

This uncooked cucumber is very fresh and crispy

 7. 脆[ceoi3] 

It’s similar to 爽口[song2 hau2]  for crackers or biscuits. Have you tried siu juk before?There is a crispy skin on the top which is very crispy. 脆[ceoi3] and 脆皮烧肉[ceoi3 pei4 siu1 juk6]

ni1 zek3 beng2 gon1 hou2 ceoi3 aa3!

呢只饼干好脆呀!

This cracker is very crispy

 8. 多汁[do1 zap1] 

Succulent for the dish and juicy for the fruits is 多汁[do1 zap1] 

ni1 go3 sai1 gwaa1 gau3 do1 zap1 laa3! daan6 hai6 m4 gau3 tim4

呢个西瓜够多汁喇!但係唔够甜

This watermelon is juicy enough but not sweet

 9. 竭挞挞[kit3 taat6 taat6] 

竭 or 竭挞挞 means Mushy

 keoi5 gam6 co3 zai3, zyu2 dou3 di1 faan6 kit3 taat6 taat6

佢揿错掣,煮到啲饭竭撻撻,

She pressed the wrong button and cooked the rich mushily

 10. 嫩 [nyun6] 

嫩[nyun6] is similar to smooth 滑 [waat6]

but nyun has another meaning-young 

dim2 joeng2 ho2 ji5 zing1 dou3 zi2 gai1 jau6 waat6 jau6 nyun6 aa3?

点样可以蒸到只鸡又滑又嫩呀?

How could we steam the chicken smoothly and tenderly?