眼鏡
The English phrase "glasses" is translated into Cantonese as 眼鏡.
To say you are wearing glasses, you use the verb phrase 戴眼鏡. Note that the verb 戴 is used specifically for wearing glasses, whereas the verb 著 is used for wearing clothes.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 眼鏡 is composed of 眼 (eye) and 鏡 (lens/mirror).
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting or referring to a pair of glasses, the classifier 副 (fuk6) is used.
Did you know?
- If you are looking for contact lenses, you do not use the word 眼鏡 at all, but instead use the term 隱形眼鏡, which translates to 'invisible eye-mirrors'.
- In traditional Cantonese culture, glasses were historically associated with scholarship and intellectuals, leading to the use of 眼鏡 in tropes about 'studious' types.
- The word 鏡 is also the root for many technical terms in Cantonese involving optics, such as 'microscope' or 'telescope', following the same logic as the English 'scope'.
Examples in context
- 我副眼鏡喺邊呀？Where are my glasses?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of your 眼鏡.Tatoeba #618037 by nickyeow, translation #438930 by CK
- 我唔戴眼鏡都睇到書。I can read without glasses.This sentence is useful for stating that you can read without 眼鏡.Tatoeba #605944 by nickyeow, translation #256747 by CK
- 有無見過我副眼鏡啊？Have you seen my glasses anywhere?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has seen your 眼鏡.Tatoeba #12069084 by thesilhouette, translation #250621 by CK
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ka Ming and Ya Ting are looking for something on the table.
- 家明 Ka Ming雅婷，你有冇見到我副眼鏡？Jaa Ting, nei jau mou gin dou ngo fu jan ging?Ya Ting, have you seen my glasses?
- 雅婷 Nga Ting喺個袋入面呀。hai go dai jap min aa.They are inside the bag.
- 家明 Ka Ming唔該，我搵唔到。m goi, ngo wan m dou.Thanks, I couldn't find them.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting攞返對眼鏡就出發啦。lo faan deoi jan ging zau chut faat laa.Grab your glasses and let's go.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
