maa5 coi3馬賽马赛
Jyutpingmaa5 coi3
Yalemáh choi
Definition
Marseille, a major port city in southern France and the country's second largest city.
neutralplacestravel
How it's used
This name is almost exclusively used in travel contexts or when discussing European geography. Unlike some major world cities that have established Cantonese nicknames, this is a direct transliteration of the French name. It is treated as a proper noun and does not typically take a measure word when used in sentences about visiting or locating the city.
Examples
I want to go to Marseilles for a trip.
Do you know where Marseilles is?
Related words
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.
