麵包 / 面包
min⁶ baau¹
The Cantonese word for bread is 麵包 / 面包 (min⁶ baau¹). Wiktionary also lists 包 (baau¹).
Meaning: baked dough made from cereals (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 麵包 / 面包 | min⁶ baau¹ |
| 包 | baau¹ |
This term refers to baked dough made from cereals.
Which one should you use?
The second character of the full word for bread, 包, is often used alone in colloquial speech to refer to bread or buns.
How does it change in a sentence?
The classifier 塊 (faai3) is used when referring to a slice or a piece of bread. When referring to a piece or a chunk of bread, the classifier 嚿 (gau³), meaning 'lump' or 'chunk', is commonly used.
How do you pronounce it?
min⁶ baau¹
Did you know?
- In Hong Kong, the term 菠蘿包 (pineapple bun) is a cultural icon that contains absolutely no actual pineapple.
- The word 包 can be used to describe a 'package' or 'bag', meaning that the same word used for bread also describes the container it might come in.
- When ordering bread in a traditional tea restaurant, you might see it paired with 'condensed milk' rather than butter, a common local twist on the breakfast pairing.
Examples in context
- 我阿媽每朝都會焗麵包食。My mother bakes bread every morning.This sentence shows how to use the word 包 regarding a mother's baking routine.Tatoeba #1326683 by nickyeow, translation #251857 by CK
- 我午餐食咗幾塊麵包同埋一隻烚蛋。I ate some bread and a boiled egg for lunch.This sentence demonstrates using the word 包 when describing a lunch meal.Tatoeba #635065 by nickyeow, translation #259452 by CK
- 喺呢個時候，將嚿麵包切粒，擺落油到炸。In the meantime, cut the bread into cubes and fry them in hot oil.This sentence illustrates using the word 包 when describing cutting bread into pieces.Tatoeba #5359803 by nickyeow, translation #491907 by swagner
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bread” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
