波子
bo¹ zi²
In Cantonese, the English slang term 'balls' (referring to testicles) can be expressed as 波子 (bo¹ zi²). Wiktionary also lists 春子 (ceon¹ zi²) and 波珠 (bo¹ zyu¹).
Meaning: slang for testicles (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 波子 | bo¹ zi² | |
| 春子 | ceon¹ zi² | vulgar |
| 波珠 | bo¹ zyu¹ |
The terms provided are slang expressions used to refer to testicles.
Which one should you use?
波子 and 波珠 are general slang terms, whereas 春子 is a highly vulgar and much more offensive way to refer to the same body part. For a formal context, the word 球 is used.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
春子 is categorized as vulgar. In formal settings, use 球.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hong Kong, the term 球 is the most common way to refer to balls in both formal and informal contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
bo¹ zi²
Did you know?
- The word 波 in 波子 is a loanword from the English word 'ball'. This makes the slang term a linguistic loop where English influenced Cantonese to describe a concept that English also describes as 'balls'.
- While 波子 is used for the slang term, it is also the standard way to refer to 'marbles' in traditional Cantonese children's games.
- Depending on the tone used, 波子 can shift from a neutral description of a toy to a highly suggestive slang term without changing a single letter.
Examples in context
- 你識唔識踢波？Do you know how to play soccer?
- 佢跌親咗對波子。keoi5 dit3 can1 zo2 deoi3 bo1 zi2.He hurt his balls when he fell.
- 佢撞傷咗對波子。keoi5 zong6 soeng1 zo2 deoi3 bo1 zi2.He bruised his balls during the impact.
Example conversation
A man is explaining an injury to his female friend.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung你點呀？nei5 dim2 aa3?How are you?
- 家明 Ka Ming我撞傷咗對波子。ngo5 zong6 soeng1 zo2 deoi3 bo1 zi2.I bruised my balls.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung要唔要睇醫生？jiu3 m4 jiu3 tai2 ji1 sang1?Do you need to see a doctor?
- 家明 Ka Ming好痛，可能要睇。hou2 tung3, ho2 nang4 jiu3 tai2.It hurts a lot, I might need to.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “balls” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
