cung1 loeng4沖涼冲凉
Jyutpingcung1 loeng4
Yalechūng lèuhng
Definition
To take a shower or a bath; to bathe.
Example
colloquialdaily actionsbody
How it's used
This term is the standard, everyday way to refer to bathing or showering in Hong Kong. It functions as a separable verb, meaning you can insert particles like 咗 or even objects between 沖 and 涼, such as 沖個涼 or 沖咗個涼. It is used regardless of whether one is actually using a showerhead or sitting in a bathtub.
Examples
The first thing I do when I get home is take a shower.
Related words
Common phrases
Common mistake
Avoid using the Mandarin term 洗澡, which sounds formal and unnatural in daily Cantonese conversation. Also, do not confuse the verb 沖涼 with the noun 涼, which refers to the act of cooling off or the temperature itself.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
