雪糕
syut³ gou¹
In Cantonese, ice cream is 雪糕 (syut³ gou¹). Wiktionary also lists 冰淇淋.
Meaning: dessert (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 雪糕 | syut³ gou¹ |
| 冰淇淋 |
雪糕 is used to refer to ice cream and various other frozen treats, such as ice pops.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 雪糕 literally means 'snow cake' or 'snow pastry'.
Which one should you use?
雪糕 is the common term used in daily speech, whereas 冰淇淋 is a more formal term that is influenced by Mandarin.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hong Kong and Cantonese-speaking regions, 雪糕 is the standard way to refer to ice cream.
How do you pronounce it?
syut³ gou¹
Did you know?
- While 雪糕 covers most frozen treats, Cantonese speakers use the specific term 雪糕筒 to describe a cone, which literally translates to 'ice cream tube'.
- The character 糕 in 雪糕 refers to a broad category of cakes and pastries that are often steamed or sticky, which is fundamentally different from the baked cakes in English.
- If you use the term 冰淇淋 in a casual street food setting in Hong Kong, you might sound like a textbook or a news reporter. Locals almost exclusively prefer the more rhythmic 雪糕 for daily conversation.
Examples in context
- 留啲雪糕俾我。Leave me a bit of ice cream.This sentence shows how to ask someone to leave some 雪糕 for you.Tatoeba #1667967 by nickyeow, translation #1663260 by liwan1208
- 我一食雪糕就會覺得好開心。I never have an ice cream without feeling happy.This sentence expresses the happiness felt when eating 雪糕.Tatoeba #554577 by nickyeow, translation #252646 by sacredceltic
- 你唔應該食太多雪糕同埋意大利粉。You mustn't eat too much ice cream and spaghetti.This sentence provides a warning about eating too much 雪糕 and spaghetti.Tatoeba #530751 by nickyeow, translation #378537 by sundown
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
The two friends are deciding what to eat after dinner.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung我哋去買雪糕好唔好？ngo5 dei6 heoi3 maai5 syut3 gou1 hou2 m4 hou2?Shall we go buy some ice cream?
- 家明 Ka Ming好啊，我想食巧克力味。hou2 aa3, ngo5 soeng2 sik6 cohkkolet syut3 gou1 mei2.Sure, I want chocolate flavor.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung你平時鍾意食杯裝定筒裝雪糕？nei5 ping4 si4 zung1 ji3 sik6 bui1 zong1 ding6 tung2 zong1 syut3 gou1?Do you usually like ice cream in a cup or a cone?
- 家明 Ka Ming我最鍾意食筒裝。ngo5 zeoi3 zung1 ji3 sik6 tung2 zong1.I like cones the most.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ice cream” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
