baat3 daat6 tung1八達通八达通
Jyutpingbaat3 daat6 tung1
Yalebaat daaht tūng
Definition
Octopus card; the contactless smart card payment system used in Hong Kong.
Example
ngo5我jung6用baat3八daat6達tung1通daap3搭dei6地tit3鐵。
ngo5我jung6用baat3八daat6达tung1通daap3搭dei6地tit3铁。
I use Octopus to take the MTR.
colloquialtransportmoney
How it's used
This is the essential payment method for daily life in Hong Kong, functioning far beyond just transit fares. It is widely accepted in convenience stores, supermarkets, and even some vending machines. The verb 嘟 is almost exclusively used to describe the action of tapping the card against a reader.
Measure word
zoeng1張jēungExamples
Does your Octopus card still have any money left?
Remember to swipe your Octopus card when taking the bus.
Related words
Common phrases
to swipe an Octopus card
to top up an Octopus card
Common mistake
Do not confuse the card itself with the act of paying; while you use the card to pay, you do not say you are paying with the card in a literal sense, but rather that you are tapping it.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
