呢 nī this (Cantonese) / see also 哩[li1] syn 说话 說話 shuō huà to speak / to say / to talk / to gossip / to tell stories / talk / word syn 说实话 說實話 shuō shí huà to speak the truth / truth to tell / frankly 讲话 講話 jiǎng huà a speech / to speak / to talk / to address / CL:個|个[ge4] syn 基 jī (bound form) base / foundation / (bound form) radical (chemistry) / (bound form) gay (loanword from English into Cantonese, Jyutping: gei1, followed by orthographic borrowing from Cantonese) syn 出口 chū kǒu an exit / CL:個|个[ge4] / to speak / to export / (of a ship) to leave port syn 辩护 辯護 biàn hù to speak in defense of / to argue in favor of / to defend / to plead syn 小声 小聲 xiǎo shēng in a low voice / (speak) in whispers 点心 點心 diǎn xin light refreshments / pastry / dim sum (in Cantonese cooking) / dessert syn 言语 言語 yán yu to speak / to tell syn 直言 zhí yán to speak forthrightly / to talk bluntly syn 恭维 恭維 gōng wei to praise / to speak highly of / compliment / praise syn 洗耳恭听 洗耳恭聽 xǐ ěr gōng tīng to listen with respectful attention / (a polite request to sb to speak) / we are all ears syn 挖苦 wā kǔ to speak sarcastically / to make cutting remarks / also pr. [wa1 ku5] syn 转圈 轉圈 zhuàn quān to rotate / to twirl / to run around / to encircle / rotation / (coll.) to speak indirectly / to beat about the bush syn 多嘴 duō zuǐ talkative / to speak out of turn / to blab / to shoot one's mouth off / rumors fly syn 夏娃 xià wá Eve, the first woman (transcription used in Protestant versions of the Bible) (from Hebrew Ḥawwāh, probably via Cantonese 夏娃 {Haa6waa1}) 难以启齿 難以啟齒 nán yǐ qǐ chǐ to be too embarrassed to mention sth (idiom) / to find it hard to speak about sth syn 母鸡 母雞 mǔ jī hen / don't know (humorous slang mimicking Cantonese 唔知, Jyutping: m4 zi1) syn 拐弯抹角 拐彎抹角 guǎi wān mò jiǎo lit. going round the curves and skirting the corners (idiom) / fig. to speak in a roundabout way / to equivocate / to beat about the bush syn 随口 隨口 suí kǒu (speak) without thinking the matter through syn 围攻 圍攻 wéi gōng to besiege / to beleaguer / to attack from all sides / to jointly speak or write against sb syn 张嘴 張嘴 zhāng zuǐ to open one's mouth (to speak, esp. to make a request) / to gape syn 抬举 擡舉 tái ju to lift sth up / to elevate sb / to honor sb (with compliments, gifts, promotions etc) / to show great regard / to speak highly / Taiwan pr. [tai2 ju3] syn 讲演 講演 jiǎng yǎn to lecture / to speak publicly syn 直白 zhí bái to speak frankly / frank / open / blunt syn 按揭 àn jiē a mortgage (loanword via Cantonese) / to buy property on a mortgage 信口开河 信口開河 xìn kǒu kāi hé to speak without thinking (idiom) / to blurt sth out syn 张口 張口 zhāng kǒu to open one's mouth (to eat, speak etc) / to gape / to start talking (esp. to make a request) 谈到 談到 tán dào to refer to / to speak about / to talk about 直言不讳 直言不諱 zhí yán bù huì to speak bluntly (idiom) / not to mince words syn 吞吞吐吐 tūn tūn tǔ tǔ to hum and haw (idiom) / to mumble as if hiding sth / to speak and break off, then start again / to hold sth back syn 剖腹 pōu fù to cut open the abdomen / to disembowel / to speak from the heart 言不由衷 yán bù yóu zhōng to say sth without meaning it (idiom) / to speak tongue in cheek / saying one thing but meaning sth different syn 异口同声 異口同聲 yì kǒu tóng shēng different mouths, same voice / to speak in unison (idiom) syn 街市 jiē shì downtown area / commercial district / (chiefly Cantonese) wet market, i.e. a marketplace selling fresh meat, fish and vegetables etc 对口 對口 duì kǒu (of two performers) to speak or sing alternately / to be fit for the purposes of a job or task / (of food) to suit sb's taste syn 夸赞 誇贊 kuā zàn to praise / to speak highly of / to commend syn 三缄其口 三緘其口 sān jiān qí kǒu (idiom) reluctant to speak about it / tight-lipped syn 谈起 談起 tán qǐ to mention / to speak of / to talk about 不可同日而语 不可同日而語 bù kě tóng rì ér yǔ lit. mustn't speak of two things on the same day (idiom) / not to be mentioned in the same breath / incomparable syn 出言 chū yán to speak / words syn 粤语 粵語 yuè yǔ Cantonese language 饮茶 飲茶 yǐn chá to have tea and refreshments / to have dim sum lunch (Cantonese) syn 开腔 開腔 kāi qiāng to speak out / to start speaking syn 褒贬 褒貶 bāo biǎn to appraise / to pass judgment on / to speak ill of / praise and censure / appraisal syn 讲坛 講壇 jiǎng tán a platform (to speak) syn 侃侃而谈 侃侃而談 kǎn kǎn ér tán to speak frankly with assurance syn 娓娓 wěi wěi (to speak) at length / engagingly / captivatingly syn 帮腔 幫腔 bāng qiāng vocal accompaniment in some traditional Chinese operas / to speak in support of / to chime in syn 仗义执言 仗義執言 zhàng yì zhí yán to speak out for justice (idiom) / to take a stand on a matter of principle syn 粤菜 粵菜 yuè cài Cantonese cuisine 振振有词 振振有詞 zhèn zhèn yǒu cí to speak forcefully and with justice (idiom) / to argue with the courage of one's convictions syn 说出 說出 shuō chū to speak out / to declare (one's view) syn 出声 出聲 chū shēng to make a sound / to speak / to cry out 不语 不語 bù yǔ (literary) not to speak 无厘头 無厘頭 wú lí tóu silly talk or "mo lei tau" (Cantonese), genre of humor emerging from Hong Kong late in the 20th century 说白了 說白了 shuō bái le to speak frankly syn 埋单 埋單 mái dān to pay the bill (in a restaurant etc) (loanword from Cantonese) / (fig.) to bear responsibility 说上 說上 shuō shàng to say / to speak / to talk 嗫嚅 囁嚅 niè rú to stammer / to mumble / to speak haltingly 言说 言說 yán shuō to speak of / to refer to 广东人 廣東人 guǎng dōng rén Cantonese (people) 广东话 廣東話 guǎng dōng huà Cantonese language 抬举 抬舉 tái jǔ to lift sth up / to elevate sb / to honor sb (with compliments, gifts, promotions etc) / to show great regard / to speak highly syn 做声 做聲 zuò shēng to speak / to emit sound syn 粤剧 粵劇 yuè jù Cantonese opera syn 烧腊 燒臘 shāo là barbecue (Cantonese style) 吉列 jí liè breaded and fried cutlet (loanword via Cantonese) 结舌 結舌 jié shé tongue-tied / unable to speak (out of surprise, embarrassment etc) 牛腩 niú nǎn brisket (esp. Cantonese) / belly beef / spongy meat from cow's underside and neighboring ribs / erroneously translated as sirloin 口称 口稱 kǒu chēng to speak / to say 信口雌黄 信口雌黃 xìn kǒu cí huáng to speak off the cuff / to casually opine syn 慎言 shèn yán to speak cautiously / to guard one's tongue 叫鸡 叫雞 jiào jī rooster / cock / (slang) (Cantonese) to visit a prostitute 瓮声瓮气 甕聲甕氣 wèng shēng wèng qì to speak in a low muffled voice (idiom) syn 大黄鱼 大黃魚 dà huáng yú Croceine croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea), a fish popular in Cantonese cooking syn 谈 談 tán to speak / to talk / to converse / to chat / to discuss syn 讲 講 jiǎng to speak / to explain / to negotiate / to emphasize / to be particular about / as far as sth is concerned / speech / lecture syn 操 cāo to grasp / to hold / to operate / to manage / to control / to steer / to exercise / to drill (practice) / to play / to speak (a language) syn 唔 wú oh (expression of agreement or surprise) / (Cantonese) not syn 佬 lǎo male / man (Cantonese) syn 哩 lī this (Cantonese) / see also 呢[ni1] / see also 哩哩羅羅|哩哩罗罗[li1 li1 luo1 luo1] syn 呛 嗆 qiàng to irritate the nose / to choke (of smoke, smell etc) / pungent / (coll.) (Tw) to shout at sb / to scold / to speak out against sb syn 曲奇 qǔ qí cookie (loanword via Cantonese 曲奇 kuk1 kei4) 啧 嘖 zé (interj. of admiration or of disgust) / to click one's tongue / to attempt to (find an opportunity to) speak syn 噼 pī child's buttocks (esp. Cantonese) / (onom.) crack, slap, clap, clatter etc 曰 yuē to speak / to say syn 讷 訥 nè to speak slowly / inarticulate 出言不逊 出言不遜 chū yán bù xùn to speak rudely syn 绕弯子 繞彎子 rào wān zi lit. to go on a long detour / fig. to speak vaguely around the topic without getting to the point / to beat about the bush syn 道出 dào chū to speak / to tell / to voice 囔囔 nāng nang to murmur / to speak in a low voice syn 呔 tāi tie / necktie / tire (Cantonese) syn 谓 謂 wèi to speak / to say / to name / to designate / meaning / sense syn 耍贫嘴 耍貧嘴 shuǎ pín zuǐ (coll.) to wag one's tongue / to indulge in idle gossip and silly jokes / to chatter endlessly / to speak glibly syn 粤 粵 yuè Cantonese / short name for Guangdong 廣東|广东[Guang3 dong1] 唱高调 唱高調 chàng gāo diào to sing the high part / to speak fine sounding but empty words (idiom) syn 乜 miē used in 乜斜[mie1xie5] / (Cantonese) what? syn 