蚊
vernacular
The Cantonese word for 'dollar' is 蚊. Wiktionary also lists 圓 / 圆 (jyun⁴) and 元 (jyun⁴).
Meaning: designation for specific currency (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 蚊 | vernacular | |
| 圓 / 圆 | jyun⁴ | formal, literary |
| 元 | jyun⁴ | literary |
The term is used as a designation for currency. In spoken Cantonese, 蚊 is used as a classifier/measure word for currency, such as in '十蚊' (ten dollars).
Which one should you use?
The word 圓 / 圆 and 元 are used in literary or formal contexts, whereas 蚊 is the vernacular form.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
蚊 is the vernacular term. 圓 / 圆 and 元 are formal or literary options.
Did you know?
- The word 蚊 literally means 'mosquito'. It became a slang term for money because it sounds similar to the original word for 'unit' or 'coin'.
- The formal character 圓 is the traditional way to write 'round' or 'circle', which is why it became the standard character for the concept of a 'round' coin.
- The term 蚊 is used regardless of the actual currency being discussed, whether it is Hong Kong dollars, US dollars or other currencies.
Examples in context
- 我喺街度執到一蚊。I found a dollar in the street.This sentence shows how to say you found a dollar in the street using 蚊.Tatoeba #532488 by nickyeow, translation #259720 by CK
- 咖喱魚蛋一蚊一粒。The curry fish balls are one dollar each.This sentence demonstrates using 蚊 to state a price per item.Tatoeba #675825 by nickyeow, translation #675826 by nickyeow
- 你可唔可以幫我唱散呢張十蚊紙呀？Could you give me some change for this ten dollar bill?This sentence shows how to use 蚊 when asking for change for a ten dollar bill.Tatoeba #617564 by nickyeow, translation #61415 by CK
Example conversation
Tsi Kin and Mei Ling are shopping at a local market.
- 子健 Tsz Kin呢個蘋果幾多蚊一個？ni go ping gwo gei do man jat go?How many dollars is one of these apples?
- 美玲 Mei Ling五蚊一個，好平呀。ng man jat go, hou ping aa.Five dollars each, it's very cheap.
- 子健 Tsz Kin我想買三個，一共十五蚊。ngo soeng maai saam go, jat gung sap ng man.I want to buy three, so fifteen dollars in total.
- 美玲 Mei Ling啱喇，畀十五蚊我就得。aam la, bei sap ng man ngo zau dak.That's correct, just give me fifteen dollars.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dollar” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
