語言 / 语言
jyu⁵ jin⁴
The English phrase 'language' is translated into Cantonese as 語言 / 语言 (jyu⁵ jin⁴) or 話 / 话.
Meaning: body of words used as a form of communication (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 語言 / 语言 | jyu⁵ jin⁴ |
| 話 / 话 |
The term 語言 / 语言 refers to language in an abstract, academic or formal sense, such as 'the study of language'. In daily conversation, when referring to the Cantonese language itself, people typically use 廣東話.
What does it mean word for word?
語言 / 语言 is a compound where 語 (jyu5) means 'speech/words' and 言 (jin4) means 'speech/words'.
Which one should you use?
語言 / 语言 is used for language in an abstract or formal sense. In contrast, the colloquial term 話 is used to refer to a specific spoken language or dialect, such as 'Cantonese' (廣東話).
How do you pronounce it?
jyu⁵ jin⁴
Did you know?
- In some contexts, 話 can mean 'a word' or 'a promise', meaning that 'language' and 'commitment' share the same root word.
- There is a specific term 死板話 which literally means 'stiff board language', used to describe someone who speaks too formally or lacks flexibility.
- To describe someone as 'eloquent', Cantonese uses a term that refers to their 話 being 'smooth' or 'slippery'.
Examples in context
- 你識幾隻話？How many languages do you know?
- 今日講邊種語言好？Which language is better to speak today?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “language” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
