凳 / 櫈
dang³
The English word chair translates to Cantonese as 凳 / 櫈 (dang³) or 椅子.
Meaning: furniture (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 凳 / 櫈 | dang³ |
| 椅子 | ji² zi² |
Which one should you use?
The single-syllable form 凳 / 櫈 is the most common way to refer to any seat, including stools or benches, in daily spoken Cantonese. The two-syllable form 椅子 is more formal and is often used in written Cantonese or when referring specifically to a chair with a backrest in a more descriptive context.
How do you pronounce it?
dang³
Did you know?
- While 椅子 is used for formal chairs, the word 椅 is also found in names for specific traditional items, such as the 太師椅 or 'Grand Master chair', which was historically reserved for high-ranking officials.
- The two different characters for the same sound, 凳 and 櫈, are often used interchangeably in different regions of Guangdong and Hong Kong. This can lead to confusion for those strictly following one dictionary.
- Unlike English, which has distinct words for 'chair', 'stool', and 'bench', spoken Cantonese often uses 凳 for all three, relying on the context of the room to distinguish the object.
Example sentences for Cantonese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chair” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
