魔術 / 魔术
mo¹ seot⁶
The Cantonese word for magic is 魔術 / 魔术 (mo¹ seot⁶), referring to illusions performed to give the appearance of the supernatural.
Meaning: illusion performed to give the appearance of magic or the supernatural (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 魔術 / 魔术 is composed of 魔 (mo1), meaning demon or magic and 術 (seot6), meaning art, technique or skill.
Which one should you use?
There are other formal terms available depending on the context of magic being described.
How do you pronounce it?
mo¹ seot⁶
Did you know?
- In Cantonese, the component 魔 (mo1) can also mean 'obsessed' or 'to be possessed'. A person who is completely consumed by a hobby might be described as having a 'demonic' obsession.
- The character 魔 is used in the name of the 'Devil' in Buddhist contexts, linking the concept of 'magic' to the idea of spiritual delusion or trickery.
- The character 術 (seot6) in 魔術 is the same one used in 技術 (gei6 seot6), the word for 'technology'. In this linguistic context, magic is categorized as a technical skill rather than a miracle.
Examples in context
- 那位魔術師的魔法表演真是令人驚嘆！That magician's magic performance is truly amazing!
- 佢最鍾意睇有關魔術嘅影片。He loves watching videos about magic the most.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “magic” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
