揀 / 拣
gaan²
The Cantonese phrase for "choose" is 揀 / 拣 (gaan²). Wiktionary also lists 選擇 / 选择 (syun² zaak⁶).
Meaning: to pick (verb)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 揀 / 拣 | gaan² |
| 選擇 / 选择 | syun² zaak⁶ |
In daily spoken Cantonese, you will often hear the form 揀嘢 / 拣嘢 used to mean "to pick things" or "to choose things".
Which one should you use?
揀 / 拣 is the common, colloquial way to say "to pick" or "to choose" in daily conversation. In contrast, 選擇 / 选择 means "to select" or "to choose" and is used when discussing the concept of making a choice.
How do you pronounce it?
gaan²
Did you know?
- When choosing a seat in a public place, Cantonese speakers use 霸位, which translates to 'dominating' or 'seizing' a position rather than simply picking one.
- The character 揀 is an ideogram where the left side represents 'hand' and the right side represents 'separating' or 'sorting' through items.
- In many Cantonese-speaking contexts, the way you 'choose' a person for a task is often expressed by saying you have your 'eye' on them, using the phrase 睇中 (tai2 zung3).
Examples in context
- 揀個蛋糕。Choose a cake.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “choose” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
