薑 / 姜
goeng¹
The English word "ginger" is translated into Cantonese as 薑 / 姜 (goeng¹).
The word refers to the spice used in cooking.
Meaning: spice (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some areas of Guangdong province, the term 姜 is used to refer to ginger.
How do you pronounce it?
goeng¹
Did you know?
- The term 薑 is used in the Cantonese idiom 薑還是老的辣, which literally means 'old ginger is spicier'.
- When ordering certain Cantonese dishes, you might be asked if you want 薑 added, as it is frequently used to balance the 'cooling' properties of other ingredients according to traditional dietary theory.
- In Cantonese cuisine, you might encounter 薑汁, which literally means 'ginger juice', but it is actually a specific type of warm, sweetened ginger soup served as a dessert.
Example sentences for Cantonese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ginger” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
