護士 / 护士
wu⁶ si⁶
The Cantonese word for nurse is 護士 / 护士 (wu⁶ si⁶). Wiktionary also lists 姑娘 (gu¹ noeng⁴).
Meaning: person trained to provide care for the sick (noun)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 護士 / 护士 | wu⁶ si⁶ |
| 姑娘 | gu¹ noeng⁴ |
護士 / 护士 is the most common term for a person trained to provide care for the sick and is used for both male and female nurses.
Which one should you use?
護士 / 护士 is the standard, professional term used in medical and formal contexts. In contrast, 姑娘 is a colloquial and somewhat dated way to refer specifically to a female nurse, frequently used by older generations in casual speech.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
護士 / 护士 is the standard term suitable for professional and formal settings. 姑娘 is more informal and colloquial. Additionally, 護士姐 is an informal way to refer to a female nurse who is slightly older or senior in age.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun 護士 does not change its form to indicate singular or plural usage.
How do you pronounce it?
wu⁶ si⁶
Did you know?
- The first character 護 means 'to protect' or 'to guard', reflecting a cultural view of nursing as a protective guardianship over the patient.
- In some old Cantonese slang, nurses were referred to as 白衣天使 meaning 'angels in white', a poetic term still seen in cards or formal tributes.
- While 護士 is the professional term, the word 姑娘, meaning 'girl' or 'young lady', was historically used to address nurses in Hong Kong hospitals during the colonial era.
Example sentences for Cantonese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “nurse” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
