siu2 maai6 bou6小賣部小卖部
Jyutpingsiu2 maai6 bou6
Yalesíu maaih bouh
Definition
Tuck shop or small canteen in a primary or secondary school.
colloquialschoolfood
How it's used
This term is almost exclusively used to describe the small shops located inside primary or secondary school campuses. While it can technically refer to any small kiosk, using it for a commercial shop outside of a school setting sounds slightly unnatural or old fashioned. It carries a strong sense of nostalgia for many Hong Kong people, often associated with childhood memories of buying snacks between classes.
Measure word
gaan1間gānExamples
We always go to the tuck shop to buy snacks during recess.
Do you remember the sausage buns they used to sell at the tuck shop?
Related words
Common phrases
go to the tuck shop
the lady working at the tuck shop
Common mistake
Do not use this to describe a convenience store like 7-Eleven or Circle K, which are referred to as 便利店. Using it for a general street-side kiosk might confuse listeners who expect a school context.
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.
