Cantonese

noun

Can·​ton·​ese ˌkan-tə-ˈnēz 

-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

Between the lines: Some words for traditional Lunar New Year's foods are Cantonese homonyms for good things. —Carly Mallenbaum, Axios, 28 Jan. 2025

Here, the 2022 James Beard Award nominee puts a modern American spin on classic Cantonese chophouses. —Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 24 Jan. 2025

Moy said Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana’s Asian gaming landscape includes an upscale Asian gaming lounge with hosts who speak a variety of Asian languages including Cantonese, Taishanese, Mandarin and Vietnamese. —Philip Potempa, Chicago Tribune, 24 Jan. 2025

Justin Chang is the minister of Community Outreach for Mandarin Baptist Church of Los Angeles, a multicultural church with services in English, Mandarin and Cantonese. —Tavleen Tarrant, NBC News, 15 Jan. 2025

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