教堂
The English word 'church' is translated into Cantonese as 教堂 or 教會. Wiktionary also lists 教會 / 教会.
Meaning: house of worship (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese |
|---|
| 教堂 |
| 教會 / 教会 |
The term is used to refer to a house of worship. Use 教堂 when referring to the physical building and 教會 when referring to the religious organization or the community of believers.
What does it mean word for word?
教堂 is composed of 教 (to teach/religion) and 堂 (hall/large room). 教會 is composed of 教 (to teach/religion) and 會 (association/organization/meeting).
Which one should you use?
教堂 refers specifically to the physical church building, whereas 教會 refers to the religious organization or the church as a community of believers.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term 禮拜堂 is commonly used in Hong Kong and Macau.
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting churches, the classifier 間 (gaan1) is used, as in the phrase 間教堂.
Did you know?
- In Cantonese, 禮拜 is also the standard way to say 'week'. Because early Christian missionaries introduced the habit of worshipping every Sunday, the word for 'worship' became the word for a seven-day period.
- Cantonese speakers often use the word 教堂 to describe the wedding venue even for people who are not religious, as 'church weddings' are a popular aesthetic choice in Hong Kong.
- The word 教 in 教會 is the same character used in 教育 (education). This reflects the historical view of the church as a place of moral and spiritual instruction.
Examples in context
- Blake 葬喺呢間教堂。This is the church where Blake is buried.This sentence is useful for stating where someone is buried using 教堂.Tatoeba #5221172 by kaenif, translation #56300 by CN
- 蕾拉去咗教堂到為森美祈禱。Layla went to the church to pray for Sami.This sentence is useful for describing someone going to a church to pray using 教堂.Tatoeba #6109473 by nickyeow, translation #6099364 by OsoHombre
- 間屋喺教堂對面，你去到就會見到㗎喇。The house is opposite the church. You can't miss it.This sentence is useful for describing a building's location relative to a church using 教堂.Tatoeba #6479151 by nickyeow, translation #49371 by CM
- 30 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are walking in the neighborhood.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan嗰間教堂好靚呀。go2 gaan1 gaau3 tong4 hou2 leng3 aa3.That church is very beautiful.
- 家明 Ka Ming係呀，好大間教堂。hai6 aa3, hou2 daai6 gaan1 gaau3 tong4.Yes, it's a very big church.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan你有冇去過入面？nei5 jau5 mou5 heoi3 gwo3 jap6 min6?Have you ever been inside?
- 家明 Ka Ming我未去過，下次一齊去。ngo5 mei6 heoi3 gwo3, haa6 ci3 jat1 cai4 heoi3.I haven't, let's go together next time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “church” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
