baai1 baai3拜拜
Jyutpingbaai1 baai3
Yalebāai baai
Definition
Bye-bye; goodbye; used when parting or ending a telephone call.
colloquialcommunication
How it's used
Adopted directly from English, this is the most common way to say goodbye in casual settings. It is versatile enough to be used with friends, family, or even acquaintances in informal service encounters. While it sounds very friendly, it is generally avoided in highly formal business meetings or solemn occasions where more traditional phrases are preferred.
Examples
I'm leaving now, bye!
Related words
Common phrases
to say goodbye
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the verb 拜拜, which is sometimes used in slang to mean that something is finished or gone forever, such as in 佢同我拜拜咗, meaning he broke up with me.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
