dik1 si2的士
Jyutpingdik1 si2
Yaledīk sí
Definition
Taxi or taxicab.
Example
ngo5我dei6哋daap3搭dik1的si2士faan1返uk1屋kei2企。
Let's take a taxi home.
colloquialtransport
How it's used
The term is a direct loanword from English and is the standard way to refer to taxis in Hong Kong. While the formal term for taxi in other Chinese-speaking regions is 出租車, using that in Hong Kong will immediately mark you as a non-local. Note that taxi drivers in Hong Kong are often referred to as 司機叔叔 or simply 司機 when addressing them politely.
Measure word
gaa3架gaExamples
It is hard to hail a taxi when it is raining, why not take the MTR instead?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse the verb 截 (to hail) with the verb 叫 (to call/order). You 截 a taxi on the street, but you 叫 a taxi if you are using a phone app or requesting someone else to arrange one for you.
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.
