警察
ging² caat³
The English phrase police is translated into Cantonese as 警察 (ging² caat³).
警察 is used to refer to the police as a general law enforcement agency or institution. If you want to refer to a specific individual in a formal or professional context, you might use 警官, which means police officer.
Meaning: local or general law enforcement agency (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term 警察 is composed of 警, meaning to warn or alert and 察, meaning to examine or observe.
Which one should you use?
While 警察 refers to the institution or the general concept of the police, 警官 is used when referring to a specific police officer in a professional way. Additionally, 警務人員 can be used as an extended formal term meaning police personnel.
How do you pronounce it?
ging² caat³
Did you know?
- In casual Hong Kong Cantonese, people often refer to the police as 差佬 ('chaa1 lou2'). The term comes from the word 差使 meaning 'official' or 'commissioner' from the imperial era.
- While 警察 is the standard noun, if a Cantonese speaker wants to say 'call the police', they will often say 報警 ('bou3 ging2'), where 'report' acts as the verb.
- In Hong Kong, the phrase 收買警察 ('sau1 maai5 ging2 caat³') is used to describe bribery, but the colloquial term for a bribe is often 茶錢 ('caa4 cin²') or 'tea money'.
Examples in context
- 佢俾警察拉咗。She was arrested by the police.This sentence shows the use of 警察 in the context of an arrest.Tatoeba #533755 by nickyeow, translation #313384 by CK
- 警察懷疑佢打劫咗間銀行。The police suspect that he robbed the bank.This sentence shows how 警察 is used when describing a suspicion.Tatoeba #1363557 by nickyeow, translation #283557 by CK
- 警察喺個女人度問唔到任何嘢。The police were unable to get anything out of the woman.This sentence shows the use of 警察 in a situation where information could not be obtained.Tatoeba #4778637 by kaenif, translation #238235 by CK
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are walking in the street and see a patrol car.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung嗰度有幾名警察。go3 dou6 jau5 gei2 ming4 ging2 caat3There are several police officers over there.
- 志強 Chi Keung佢哋係咪喺度巡邏？keoi5 dei6 hai6 mai6 hai2 dou6 ceon4 lo4?Are they patrolling here?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung好似係呀。hou2 ci5 hai6 aa3.It looks like it.
- 志強 Chi Keung咁就安心啲。gam2 zau6 on1 sam1 di1.Then it's a bit more reassuring.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “police” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
