午餐肉
ng5 caan1 yuk6
The English word "spam" (referring to undesired electronic content) is translated into Cantonese as 午餐肉 (ng5 caan1 yuk6).
Cantonese speakers often use the English word Spam directly when referring to unsolicited electronic messages in modern digital contexts.
Meaning: undesired electronic content (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term 午餐肉 literally translates to "lunch meat".
Which one should you use?
The formal term for spam is 垃圾郵件.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hong Kong, the term for spam is 垃圾電郵.
How do you pronounce it?
ng5 caan1 yuk6
Did you know?
- The term 午餐肉 is often a staple in Hong Kong breakfasts, making the word 'spam' a highly appetizing term in a grocery store but a frustrating one in an inbox.
- The term 午餐肉 is so ubiquitous in Cantonese culture that it often refers to any brand of canned ham, not just the brand 'SPAM'.
- The word 肉 in 午餐肉 means 'meat', but in some Cantonese slang contexts, 肉 can be used to describe a 'meaty' or substantial amount of something.
Examples in context
- 我要將廣告郵件拉入垃圾桶。I need to move the spam emails to the junk folder.
Example conversation
Meiling and Ka Ming are checking their phones.
- 美玲 Mei Ling家明，你都收到呢啲午餐肉呀？ga1 ming4, nei5 dou1 sau1 dou2 ni1 di1 ng5 caan1 juk6 aa3?Ka Ming, did you receive this spam too?
- 家明 Ka Ming係呀，我今日收到十幾封。hai6 aa3, ngo5 gam1 jat6 sau1 dou2 sap6 zat1 fung1.Yes, I received over ten today.
- 美玲 Mei Ling真係好煩，我想刪除晒佢哋。zan1 hai6 hou2 faan4, ngo5 soeng2 saan1 ceoi4 saai3 keoi5 dei6.It's really annoying, I want to delete them all.
- 家明 Ka Ming你直接將佢哋標記為午餐肉啦。nei5 zik6 zip3 zoeng1 keoi5 dei6 biu1 gei3 wai4 ng5 caan1 juk6 laa1.Just mark them as spam directly.
