ngoi6 loi4 jyu5外來語外来语
Jyutpingngoi6 loi4 jyu5
Yalengoih lòih yúh
Definition
Loanword; a word adopted from another language.
neutralcommunication
How it's used
Refers specifically to words adopted from foreign languages that have become integrated into the local vocabulary. While linguistically accurate, it is a formal term rarely used in casual conversation, where people might instead describe a word as being borrowed from English or another language.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
Is this word actually a loanword?
There are many loanwords in Cantonese.
Related words
Common phrases
to absorb loanwords
Common mistake
Do not use this term to describe slang or newly coined internet jargon, as it specifically implies an etymological origin from a foreign language rather than just a shift in usage.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- LocationHow to say where something is using 喺 (hai2), place words like 度, and the common coverbs that work like English prepositions.
- Serial verbsStringing two or more verbs together without any joining word, like go to the shop buy things. Extremely common in Cantonese.
- 將 disposalHow to move the object in front of the verb with 將, to focus on what happens to it. Common in instructions and writing.
