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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.
Photo: SCMP
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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From our archives

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

Hong Kong culture

Opinion | Cantonese opera need not be popular to be part of Hong Kong 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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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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“Dim Sum Squad” members Har Gow, Siu Mai and Char Siu Ba are part of The Peak’s new “It’s Different Up Here” campaign that celebrates all things Hong Kong. It runs until February 28. Photo: Handout
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.

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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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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Cantonese opera impresario and composer Edward Li at the Sunbeam Theatre, which will close in March. Photo: Jonathan Wong
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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DJ Pete Sabine displays some of the records from his vinyl collection. Photo: Kayla Chan
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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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.

A female staff member carrying out a bowl of soup noodles at a Tam Jai restaurant in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. Photo: Alexander Mak
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.

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.

Cantonese opera singer and nurse Iris Kwan (right) performs at the Sunbeam Theatre with her partner. Photo: SCMP
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 …

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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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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Illustration: Craig Stephens
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.

The central theme of China’s Dragon Boat festival is obvious, but the event has some quirky, lesser-known customs. The Post takes a closer look. Photo: SCMP Graphic Image
Food and Drinks

Dragon Boat Festival: 10 Hong Kong restaurants for creative rice dumplings

Sticky rice dumplings are a Dragon Boat Festival staple. This year Hong Kong restaurants are serving dumplings with an Omnipork filling, dumplings made with quinoa, and one suited to the keto diet.

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Hong Kong culture

Opinion | How learning Cantonese allowed me to fall in love with Hong Kong

Learning Cantonese has helped me to surrender my ego, sense of entitlement and expectations of how Hong Kong is ‘supposed to be’.

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Food and Drinks

Profile | Fired 3 times, Grace Choy found her vocation as chef of her own restaurant

Chef and cookbook author Grace Choy tells Kate Whitehead about her ‘simple’ childhood above the family’s mahjong shop in Hong Kong and how itchy feet have led her to Tokyo.

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Grace Choy, who runs a Chinese restaurant in Japan and published a cookbook, tells Kate Whitehead about her childhood in Hong Kong and how itchy feet led her and her husband to Tokyo. Photo: Grace Choy
Hong Kong economy

Opinion | 3 ways Hong Kong can easily and quickly up its tourism game

Hong Kong has all the ingredients it needs, from its East-meets-West cultural history, free port tax-free status and vast natural attractions.

Lau Shui Heung Reservoir, one of the most popular hiking trails in Hong Kong, on December 20. Most of Hong Kong’s underappreciated natural attractions are within 45 minutes of the city centre. Photo: Yik Yeung-man
Hong Kong culture

Opinion | Greater Bay Area standards are no recipe for saving Hong Kong food culture

The threat to the Hong Kong food scene stems from complex factors, which the Greater Bay Area guidelines do not address. Young culinary graduates are not working for old-school restaurants, and legacy skills are not being passed down.

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China’s Communist Party

‘All ethnic groups matter’: Chinese textbook spells out integration policies

Analysts expect affirmative action for ethnic minority groups will be further rolled back as Beijing backs down from emphasising their distinctive qualities.

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