zong1 waa6髒話脏话
Jyutpingzong1 waa6
Yalejōng wah
Definition
Swear words; offensive, vulgar, or foul language.
colloquialcommunicationslang
How it's used
While 髒話 is understood in Hong Kong, locals overwhelmingly prefer the term 粗口 when referring to profanity. Using 髒話 can sound slightly more formal or like a direct translation from Mandarin, whereas 粗口 is the natural, everyday way to describe vulgar language.
Measure word
geoi3句geuiExamples
He always uses foul language, it's very rude.
Why are you using swear words here?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 髒話 because it appears in textbooks, but using it in casual conversation may sound slightly unnatural or stiff compared to the ubiquitous 粗口.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
