雞 / 鷄 / 鸡
gai¹
The Cantonese word for chicken is 雞 / 鷄 / 鸡 (gai¹).
This noun refers to the bird known as a chicken.
Meaning: bird (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 雞 / 鷄 / 鸡 is the standard term, 雞仔 is used specifically to refer to a young chicken or a small chicken.
How do you pronounce it?
gai¹
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers may confuse the tone of gai¹ with other words. However, for chicken, the tone must be high and steady.
Did you know?
- There is a common Cantonese expression 雞尾酒 for a 'cocktail', where 雞尾 literally translates to 'chicken tail'.
- In traditional Cantonese culture, a whole 雞 is often served at weddings and banquets with the head and feet attached to symbolize completeness and a good beginning and end.
- The phrase 雞嘴 literally means 'chicken mouth' but is used to describe someone who is overly talkative or cannot keep a secret.
Examples in context
- 我想點一份炸雞。I would like to order a fried chicken.
- 我最喜歡煎雞肉。I love pan-fried chicken meat the most.
- 我要買兩隻雞仔。I want to buy two small chickens.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chicken” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
