漢堡 / 汉堡
hon³ bou²
The English phrase "hamburger" translates to Cantonese as 漢堡 / 汉堡 (hon³ bou²). Wiktionary also lists 漢堡包 / 汉堡包 (hon³ bou² baau¹).
Meaning: sandwich (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 漢堡 / 汉堡 | hon³ bou² |
| 漢堡包 / 汉堡包 | hon³ bou² baau¹ |
Which one should you use?
漢堡 / 汉堡 is a shortened form, whereas 漢堡包 / 汉堡包 is a more complete way to specify the item as a 'hamburger bun' or 'hamburger sandwich' by adding the word for bun (包).
How do you pronounce it?
hon³ bou²
Did you know?
- While 漢堡 refers to the food, the characters themselves literally mean 'Han Castle' or 'Han Fortress'.
- Cantonese speakers often use the English word 'burger' directly in casual conversation rather than the formal 漢堡包.
- The term 漢堡 can be used as a shorthand for any burger-style sandwich, regardless of whether the patty is beef, pork or fish.
Examples in context
- 锺意食漢堡唔？Do you like eating hamburgers?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hamburger” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
