Beautiful in Cantonese

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There are at least two ways to say “beautiful” in Cantonese:

 

  1. 靚 ( colloquial;  means good-looking  as in 靓相 pretty photos; high quality or high class as in 靓车 – good cars such as Lamborghini  or Porsche ) 
  2. 美麗 (美丽)  (beautiful, not just pretty; formal;  sometimes shortened to  just 美.   so 美国 can mean beautiful country)
  3. 好好睇  (very good looking )

Examples:

1. You are so beautiful!   你好靓!

2. I don’t need those beautiful lies!  我唔需要美丽嘅谎言。
Note: tell a lie = 讲大话 (colloquial.    lie = 大话  literately mean “big talk” ).    谎言 means “lie(s)” and it’s very formal.
However, we do use 美丽的(or 嘅 )谎言 is a set phrase or idiomatic phrase  for “beautiful lies”.

3. 你种嘅花好靓啊!  The flowers you are planting are very beautiful (pretty)!

4. The skirt you are wearing is pretty good looking.  妳着紧嘅条裙都几靓  nei5 zoek6 gan2 ge3 tiu4 kwan4 dou1 gei2 leng3 wo3

5. You look  beautiful with this pair of glasses.   你戴呢副眼镜好好睇。 nei5 daai3 ne1 fu3 ngaan5 geng3 hou2 hou2 tai2 wo3

6. Your eyes are beautiful.  你嘅眼睛好靓!


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