相片
soeng2 pin2
In Cantonese, the word for photo is 相片 (soeng2 pin2).
相片 is a noun used to refer to the physical or digital image itself.
Meaning: to take a photograph (verb)
Which one should you use?
相片 refers to the noun (the photo/photograph), whereas the term 影相 is used to describe the verb or the action of taking a photo.
How does it change in a sentence?
While 相片 is the noun for a photograph, if you want to express the verb 'to take a photo', you should use 影相.
How do you pronounce it?
soeng2 pin2
Did you know?
- The word 相 also means 'appearance' or 'features'. In certain contexts, it is used in fortune-telling to describe 'physiognomy', the art of reading a person's character from their face.
- The character 片 in 相片 means 'slice' or 'piece'. This describes the photo as a thin slice of paper, a relic from the era of physical film prints.
- In Hong Kong, people often use the English word 'photo' or 'selfie' mixed directly into Cantonese sentences, a linguistic habit known as code-switching.
Examples in context
- 相片影得好靚啊！Wow, the photo you took looks amazing!
- 有冇得睇你嘅相片？Can I see your photos?
Example conversation
Yating and Zikien are visiting a park.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting呢度好靚，我想影相片。ni1 dou3 hou2 leng3, ngo5 soeng2 jing2 soeng2 pin2.It's beautiful here, I want to take a photo.
- 子健 Tsz Kin好啊，我幫你影啦。hou2 aa3, ngo5 bong1 nei6 jing2 laa1.Sure, I'll take it for you.
- 雅婷 Nga Ting唔該晒子健！m4 goi1 saai3 zi2 gin6!Thanks a lot, Zikien!
- 子健 Tsz Kin冇問題，準備好未？mou5 man6 tai4, zyun2 bei6 hou2 mei6?No problem, are you ready?
