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Cantonese culture, slang and customs

Cantonese culture, slang and customs
Latest news and updates on all things Cantonese, including its slang terms and the culture and customs of the millions of people who speak the southern Chinese dialect in Hong Kong, Guangdong and around the world.
Do you know how to properly address your Chinese relatives? We examine just a few of the ones you hear often in Hong Kong. Illustration: Brian Wang
Chinese culture

Do you know your gu fu from your yi ma? How to greet your Chinese relatives

Chinese family titles can be a minefield. From paternal grandfathers’ older brothers to mothers’ younger sisters, here are some useful ones.

On Our Radar

M+ exhibition celebrates evolution of 20th century Cantonese art

Chinese culture

Language Matters | What to know about intangible cultural heritage amid Hong Kong celebrations

Food and Drinks

Hong Kong noodle chain Tam Jai flying high with HK Express tie-up

Restaurant chain serving noodles on flights and selling beauty products while rewriting the narrative about its ‘Tam Jai jehjeh’ waitresses.

A waitress at a Tam Jai restaurant in Hong Kong. Photo: Alexander Mak
Food and Drinks

929, New York bar that plays Chinese pop, is an ode to its owner’s roots

A temple to Cantopop and Mandopop, 929 serves cocktails inspired by Leslie Cheung and Dou Wei. For the owner, it’s about embracing identity.

Food and Drinks

Recap | Unveiling the best of Cantonese cuisine

Explore the global influence of Cantonese cooking, from the kung fu secrets of wok hei to Michelin-starred fine dining around the world, to the worldwide embracing of XO sauce and shrimp paste.

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Hong Kong culture

Video | Sunset for Hong Kong’s Sunbeam Theatre

The church group that purchased the theatre plans to convert the building into a community centre.

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Photo: SCMP
From our archives

When Hong Kong announced the city’s first open-air theatre

In 1983, the curtain was raised on the Ko Shan Road park and theatre, which took 2 years and HK$50 million to build.

Hong Kong culture

Opinion | Cantonese opera need not be popular to be part of Hong Kong heritage

Preserving the theatre means preserving a piece of the city’s cultural identity, affirming Cantonese opera as part of our heritage.

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Hong Kong culture

Editorial | Show must go on for Cantonese opera after Sunbeam curtain falls in Hong Kong

While the success of the Xiqu Centre and other initiatives such a school outreach have spread the art form’s appeal, more can still be done.

Fans queue up for Sunbeam Theatre’s last show “Xiaoping the legend”. Photo: Sam Tsang
Hong Kong society

‘I know who I’d want to hit’: Hongkongers, tourists queue to curse ‘villains’

Causeway Bay underpass packed for annual beating and burning of effigies, as tradition draws hundreds.

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About 17 stalls were set up at the underpass on Wednesday. Photo: Eugene Lee
Chinese overseas

Being Chinese | I look Chinese but don’t speak the language. Is that so bad?

I may be missing out on a deeper appreciation of the culture, but I’ve learned to live with it – thank goodness for translation apps.

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Hong Kong economy

Opinion | John Lee is right. Harbin is an inspiration – in being uniquely itself

Harbin’s attraction for visitors lies in its distinctive weather and Russian legacy. In the same way, Hong Kong should draw on its colonial past and local colour.

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Profile

Cantonese opera star Mitche Choi on keeping the Hong Kong tradition alive

Mitche Choi knows a thing or two about being in a man’s world – the Cantonese opera star spent a career playing the male roles and modernising the highly traditional art form for today’s audiences.

Mitche Choi wears a traditional Cantonese opera costume. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
Hong Kong culture

Opinion | Panda fever is great but Hong Kong needs its own cultural icon

The Lion Rock, the unmistakable red-sailed junk and the 120-year-old tram system are all cultural assets unique to the city.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Hong Kong society

Trump on Show: hit opera with young Hongkongers to rerun, eyes global stage

Sunbeam Theatre in North Point to revive popular show as swansong ahead of March closure.

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Hong Kong society

How a Hong Kong DJ is bringing the tunes of Joey Yung, Eason Chan to the world

Pete Sabine, also known as DJ Fabsabs, says he is on a quest to connect with Hongkongers globally through his Cantopop sets.

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Chinese culture

Who is a ‘snake king’? What is a ‘snake nest’? Twisty Cantonese slang explained

Why do police ‘release snakes’? How do students ‘bend snakes’? We untangle six Cantonese slang expressions that use the word ‘snake’.

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What is a “snake king”? Where do you find a ‘“snake nest” and why is that something good? We untangle six Cantonese slang phrases to do with snakes. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong culture

Opinion | How Hong Kong can take arts and culture to the next level

The city must communicate a clear vision that highlights Hong Kong’s unique position as a cultural East-West bridge.

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Hong Kong

At Hong Kong’s Tam Jai noodle joint, waitresses are the stars

These ‘Tam Jai jeh jehs’ are not only the backbone of the beloved chain, they’ve even modelled for a fashion show with the Hong Kong Design Institute.

Greater Bay Area

Hong Kong leads Greater Bay Area in finance, logistics and tourism: index

City also tops the charts in culture and sports, according to an index by Our Hong Kong Foundation (OHKF) and Dah Sing Bank.

A visual representation of the Greater Bay Area at the Nansha Planning Exhibition Hall in Guangzhou on June 11, 2024. Photo: Eugene Lee
Chinese culture

Where to eat the best wonton noodles in Hong Kong, and their history

Wonton noodles, one of Hong Kong’s most well-known dishes, have a long history in the city. We find the restaurants that serve the best.

Wonton noodles, one of Hong Kong’s most well-known dishes, have a long history in the city. We find some of the top restaurants serving them, including Shek Kee Wonton Noodles (above) in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Chinese culture

What’s so special about Hong Kong-style milk tea? Where to begin?

Hong Kong-style milk tea has a rich history dating back to the British colonial era. We look at what makes it so special and a cultural icon.

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Hong Kong society

Curtain call for private Cantonese opera venue in Hong Kong as lease set to expire

Sunbeam Theatre to close its doors next year after hosting fans for more than five decades, with church to take over site on King’s Road.

Food and Drinks

Opinion | We get it – family dinners are tricky to navigate for non-Chinese partners

Family dinners can be a minefield for the non-Chinese partner in a relationship. Should you wish to ingratiate yourself with your potential (or actual) in-laws, read this advice carefully …

Steamed fish head with chopped hot red peppers. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Why Hong Kong needs to embrace failure to succeed

A spirit of adventure – from small businesses to the government wealth fund – is crucial as Hong Kong faces rapid changes and challenges.

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AI company Smartmore’s founder and chairman Jia Jiaya chats with Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-Po and Hong Kong Investment Corporation (HKIC) CEO Clara Chan Ka-chai on June 12 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, where a strategic partnership deal was signed between Hong Kong’s wealth fund and the Hong Kong unicorn. Photo: Sun Yeung
Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Believe it or not, Hong Kong’s culture and nature are the tourist draw

No amount of promotion abroad, free air tickets or mega events will work if Hong Kong does not go big on local arts, culture and ecotourism.

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Chinese culture

Explainer | Revealed: quirky secrets which make China’s Dragon Boat Festival special

China’s Dragon Boat Festival has a history stretching back centuries. Here, the Post takes a look at some of the event’s lesser-known customs.

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