喂
wai2
The Cantonese word for "hey" is 喂 (wai2).
喂 is used to get someone's attention or to start a casual conversation.
Meaning: informal greeting (intj)
How do you pronounce it?
wai2
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using 喂 to address strangers or superiors, as it can sound rude or aggressive depending on the tone.
Did you know?
- The character 喂 is also used as a verb meaning 'to feed', such as feeding a baby or a pet.
- In Cantonese, the same word 喂 is the standard way to answer a telephone call, similar to how an English speaker might say 'hello'.
- If you use a high, rising tone, 喂 sounds like a friendly 'hey', but a low, abrupt tone can make it sound like a sharp shout to scold someone.
Examples in context
- 喂，做緊咩呀你？Hey, what are you doing?This example shows how to use 喂 to start a casual question about what someone is doing.Tatoeba #5793000 by nickyeow, translation #5781627 by CK
- 喂，睇吓，有隻三個頭嘅馬騮呀！Hey, look, a three-headed monkey!This example demonstrates using 喂 to draw attention to something unexpected.Tatoeba #533696 by nickyeow, translation #1839 by Zifre
- 「喂，點解個窗開咗嘅？」「哦，我諗住通吓風吖嘛。你凍就閂咗佢啦。」"Hey, why is the window open?" "I just opened it to let in a little air. If you're cold, feel free to close it."This example shows how 喂 can be used to initiate a dialogue or query in a conversation.Tatoeba #6474249 by nickyeow, translation #2921281 by AlanF_US
- 你好，小明Hello, Xiao Ming
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends meet on the street.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung喂，志強！好耐冇見！wai, zi keung! hou nai mou gin!Hey, Zhiqiang! Long time no see!
- 志強 Chi Keung喂，曉彤！你最近點呀？wai, hiu tung! nei zui gan dim aa?Hey, Xiaotong! How have you been lately?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung我最近好忙，你呢？ngo zui gan hou mong, nei ne?I've been very busy lately, and you?
- 志強 Chi Keung我都係，下次出嚟食飯！ngo dou hai, ha ci ceot lai sik faan!Me too, let's go eat next time!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
