好食
In Cantonese, delicious is 好食. If unsure, use 好食. Wiktionary also lists 好味 (hou² mei⁶) and 好吃.
Meaning: pleasing to taste (adj)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 好食 | ||
| 好味 | hou² mei⁶ | |
| 好吃 | literary | |
| 可口 | ho² hau² | |
| 美味 | mei⁵ mei⁶ |
All provided forms are used to describe food that is pleasing to the taste.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 好食 is composed of 好 (good) and 食 (to eat), literally meaning "good to eat". The phrase 好味 is composed of 好 (good) and 味 (taste/flavor), literally meaning "good taste".
Which one should you use?
好食 is the most common, everyday way to say something is delicious in spoken Cantonese. 美味 is a more formal term often used in written Chinese or for more sophisticated culinary descriptions. 好吃 is a literary form that is more commonly associated with Mandarin than with spoken Cantonese. 可口 and 好味 are also used to describe pleasing tastes.
Did you know?
- While 好食 describes the taste, Cantonese speakers often use the word 正 ('positive/correct') as a slang term to describe food that is exceptionally delicious.
- When a Cantonese speaker finds something truly 好食, they might describe the 'umami' or savoriness using the term 鮮 ('fresh'), which is a distinct category of deliciousness.
- While 好食 is the standard for food, Cantonese speakers often use the word 好睇 (good to look at) to describe a dish that is as visually stunning as it is delicious.
Examples in context
- 個批好好食。The pie was delicious.This sentence shows how to use 好食 to describe a pie.Tatoeba #5734761 by nickyeow, translation #5265479 by CK
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
The two friends are eating lunch together at a restaurant.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan呢碗麵好食呀！ni1 wun2 min6 hou2 sik6 aa3!This bowl of noodles is delicious!
- 家明 Ka Ming係呀，我好鍾意呢間舖。hai6 aa3, ngo5 hou2 zung1 ji3 ni1 gaan1 pou3.Yes, I really like this shop.
- 嘉欣 Ka Yan你下次想唔想再食？nei5 si6 haa6 soeng2 m4 soeng2 zoi3 sik6?Do you want to eat here again next time?
- 家明 Ka Ming想呀，一定要再嚟。soeng2 aa3, jat1 ding6 jiu3 zoi3 lai4.Yes, we definitely have to come back.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “delicious” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
