蝦 / 虾
haa¹
The Cantonese word for shrimp is 蝦 / 虾 (haa¹).
蝦 is the general term used for shrimp in Cantonese and is suitable for formal occasions and written contexts.
Meaning: flesh of the crustacean (noun)
Which one should you use?
對蝦 / 對對蝦 specifically refer to prawns, which are larger types of shrimp.
How do you pronounce it?
haa¹
Did you know?
- In Cantonese, the word 蝦 is also used as a verb meaning 'to bully' or 'to tease' someone. This usage suggests that the shrimp is perceived as something easily victimized or tossed around.
- While 蝦 is used for shrimp, the word 龍蝦 refers to lobster, literally translating to 'dragon shrimp'.
- The expression 蝦腦 literally means 'shrimp brain' and is used to describe someone who is acting foolishly or is slow to understand.
Examples in context
- 呢個麵有冇蝦？Does this noodle dish have shrimp?
- 有，入面有蝦乾。Yes, there are dried shrimps in it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shrimp” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
