Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 翻譯 / 翻译 | faan¹ jik⁶ |
| 譯 / 译 | jik⁶ |
The verb 翻譯 / 翻译 is used to change spoken words or written text from one language to another. While it can cover both speech and text, it is most commonly used for the general concept of translation or the act of translating text.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 翻譯 / 翻译 is composed of 翻, which means to turn or flip and 譯, which means to translate or interpret.
Which one should you use?
If you need to be specific about the medium, use 口譯 for oral interpretation (translating spoken words) and 筆譯 for written translation.
How does it change in a sentence?
To indicate that something has been translated in the past, add the aspect marker 咗 after the verb to get 翻譯咗. To express that a translation is currently in progress, add the aspect marker 緊 after the verb to get 翻譯緊.
How do you pronounce it?
faan¹ jik⁶
Did you know?
- The character 翻 can also mean 'to rebel' or 'to overturn', creating a linguistic link between changing a language and overturning a regime.
- If you are translating a document manually, you are performing 筆譯 (bat1 jik6), which literally translates to 'brush translation' due to the historical use of brushes for writing.
- In colloquial Cantonese, people often use the English word 'translate' or 'translation' directly in conversation, blending it with Cantonese grammar.
Example sentences for Cantonese are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “translate” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
