How to Say "Black" in Cantonese

黑色

haak¹ sik¹, hak¹ sik¹

In Cantonese, the word for black is 黑色 (haak¹ sik¹, hak¹ sik¹). If unsure, use 黑色. Wiktionary also lists 黑 (hak¹).

Meaning: absorbing all light (adj)

Ways to say it

“black” in Cantonese
Cantonese	Romanization (Wiktionary)
黑色	haak¹ sik¹, hak¹ sik¹
黑	hak¹

The word refers to the color black, describing something that absorbs all light. Related terms include 黑人, which refers to a dark-skinned person.

The noun 黑色 is composed of 黑, meaning black and 色, meaning color.

The single character 黑 can function as the adjective 'black' by itself, whereas 黑色 is the formal noun for the color 'black'.

When using 'black' as an adjective to describe a noun in a sentence, it is common to add the particle 嘅 (ge1) after the color.

haak¹ sik¹, hak¹ sik¹

The term 黑 can be used as a verb meaning to 'badmouth' or 'smear' someone's reputation, such as in the phrase 黑佢, which means 'to speak ill of him'.
In Hong Kong, the phrase 黑社會 literally means 'black society' and is the standard term for the triad secret societies or the mafia.
In the context of traditional Chinese culture, which influences Cantonese, the color black is sometimes associated with water and the north, rather than just darkness or mourning.

隻蜘蛛黑色嘅。
The spider was black.
This sentence demonstrates using the adjective 黑 to describe a spider.
Tatoeba #12108268 by thesilhouette, translation #12078980 by Amastan
你隻貓係黑色嘅。
Your cat is black.
This sentence shows how to use 黑 to describe a cat.
Tatoeba #5734928 by nickyeow, translation #3189153 by zumley
黑色嗰個係我嘅。
The black one is mine.
This sentence uses 黑 to identify a specific black object.
Tatoeba #7988188 by nickyeow, translation #823527 by sacredceltic
佢著一件黑色衫。
He is wearing a black shirt.
邊隻貓最黑？
Which cat is the blackest?
60 more sentences on Tatoeba

Ka Yan and Chun Kit are choosing a new car.

嘉欣 Ka Yan

呢架車係黑色嘅嗎？
ni1 za6 ce1 hai6 hak1 sik1 ge3 maa1?
Is this car black?
俊傑 Chun Kit

係呀，佢係黑色嘅。
hai6 aa3, keoi5 hai6 hak1 sik1 ge3.
Yes, it is black.
嘉欣 Ka Yan

俊傑，你鍾唔鍾意黑色？
zeon3 kit3, nei5 zung1 m4 zung1 ji3 hak1 sik1?
Chun Kit, do you like black?
俊傑 Chun Kit

我好鍾意黑色。
ngo5 hou2 zung1 ji3 hak1 sik1.
I really like black.

Sources

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