cung1 loeng4 pou2沖涼鋪冲凉铺
Jyutpingcung1 loeng4 pou2
Yalechūng lèuhng póu
Definition
A public bathhouse.
colloquialplaceshome
How it's used
Refers specifically to older, public facilities where people paid to use a shower or tub, which were common in crowded tenement buildings before private bathrooms became standard. It carries a strong sense of nostalgia and is rarely used to describe modern gyms or spas. The term is almost exclusively associated with the living conditions of mid-twentieth century Hong Kong.
Measure word
gaan1間gānExamples
There used to be a bath house near here.
Do you know where there is still a bath house open?
Related words
Common phrases
go to a bath house
old-style bath house
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with a modern spa or sauna, as the term implies a very basic, functional, and often dated public facility. Using it to describe a high-end establishment will sound confusing or humorous to locals.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- QuestionsFrom yes or no questions to asking who, what, where, and when. The patterns you need to ask questions naturally in Cantonese.
- ClassifiersCantonese puts a classifier between a number and a noun, and a bare classifier on its own can mean the. Learn the common ones and how to use them.
- ComparisonsHow to say bigger than, the most, the same as, and not as good as. Cantonese uses 過 where Mandarin uses 比, and that catches a lot of learners out.
