tou2 waa6土話土话

Jyutpingtou2 waa6

Yaletóu wah

Definition

A local dialect, patois, or regional variety of a language.

colloquialcommunication

How it's used

Refers specifically to a regional or local variety of language that deviates from the standard. It often carries a slightly informal or rustic connotation compared to the more neutral term 方言. Native speakers use it to highlight the distinctiveness of speech patterns found in specific villages or small towns.

Measure word

zek3隻jek

Examples

keoi5佢gong2講ge3嘅tou2土waa2話ngo5我jyun4完cyun4全teng1聽m4唔ming4明。

I cannot understand the dialect he speaks at all.

nei1呢dou6度di1啲tou2土waa2話hai6係mai6咪hou2好naan4難hok6學㗎？

Is the local dialect here very hard to learn?

Common phrases

gong2講tou2土waa2話

to speak a local dialect

Common mistake

Avoid using this to refer to a major language like Cantonese or Mandarin, as it implies a subordinate or non-standard status that can sound dismissive or derogatory. Use 方言 when discussing established regional languages.