Cantonese 2

Session: 20 new remaining of the 20/day cap · 0 learning waiting · 32 reviews due.

Click Cantonese::Level2, not Level1. Level1 is review-only now. No learning queue, so new cards interleave with the 32 reviews.

This is a third sheet for today (HSK is 2026-09-12.md, Japanese is 2026-09-12-japanese-level2.md).

Session plan

• Number pile: 一千 (一千蚊 camera), 十幾 years saving, 萬 as “myriad stars” — not 一萬 dollars.
• 好心 today is please, enough already, not “kind-hearted.” 襯 is the clothes match, not underwear.
• 打開 is 打開冷氣 (turn on AC). Japanese 電気をつけて is the light switch cousin.
• People: 妹 steals clothes, 條女 that girl. Grammar: 係唔係 overtime, 唔需要 / 唔見.
• 睇住 in the sentence is watching a place slide after 1997, not babysitting.

1. 一千（jat1 cin1）

one thousand · seribu

Example: 我儲咗一千蚊買部相機。 — I saved one thousand dollars to buy a camera.

• CJK: 一 = 一. 千 = 千 qiān. JP 千（せん）. Mandarin 一千. 蚊 = HKD dollar.
• Fun fact: 一千蚊. Camera fund. Japanese Level 1 yesterday had 万 / ドル. 萬 later on this sheet is 10,000 / “myriad,” not this thousand.
• Memorize: Piggy bank, $1000, camera box: 儲咗一千蚊.
• Study tip: 一千. Don’t answer 萬.

2. 妹（mui6）

younger sister · adik perempuan

Example: 我妹成日偷我衫着，真係煩死。 — My younger sister always steals my clothes to wear, so annoying.

• CJK: 妹 = 妹 mèi. JP 妹（いもうと）. Mandarin 妹妹. 着 = wear (Canto).
• Fun fact: 我妹成日偷衫. 成日 = always (JP よく yesterday). 家姐 is older sister. Not 表妹 unless that’s the card.
• Memorize: Little sister in your shirt, you fuming: 妹偷我衫着.
• Study tip: 妹. Don’t answer 姐.

3. 語言（jyu5 jin4）

language · bahasa

Example: 你有冇練習過外國語言呀？ — Have you ever practiced a foreign language?

• CJK: 語 = 语 yǔ. 言 = 言. Mandarin 语言. JP 言語（げんご）. Same 语 as 日语.
• Fun fact: 外國語言. 有冇練習過. 語言 is the system; 話 is “speech/what you said.” You’re studying three.
• Memorize: Phrasebook pile, HSK / JP / Canto stickers: 外國語言.
• Study tip: 語言. Don’t answer 話 or 文字.

4. 病（beng6）

illness; to be sick · penyakit; sakit

Example: 佢病咗，冇返工。 — He's sick and didn't go to work.

• CJK: 病 = 病 bìng. JP 病気 (yesterday Level 1) / today’s 病院. Mandarin 生病. Canto often just 病咗.
• Fun fact: 病咗，冇返工. One syllable. HSK 乱吃药 is the don’t-self-medicate cousin. JP 病院はどこ.
• Memorize: In bed, empty office chair: 病咗，冇返工.
• Study tip: 病. Don’t answer 醫院 unless that’s the card.

5. 條女（tiu4 neoi5）

girl; young woman · cewek, gadis

Example: 條女成日笑呵呵。 — That girl is always laughing.

• CJK: 條 = 条 tiáo (classifier). 女 = 女. Mandarin 那个女的 / 女生. JP 女の子. Classifier 條 for people is very Canto.
• Fun fact: 條女 = that girl (casual, a bit rough). Can mean girlfriend in other sentences. Today is the laughing one. 成日 again.
• Memorize: Girl laughing 呵呵, speech bubbles: 條女成日笑.
• Study tip: 條女. Don’t answer 女朋友 unless the card is that.

6. 書（syu1）

book; writings · buku; tulisan

Example: 我借咗本書返屋企睇。 — I borrowed a book to read at home.

• CJK: 書 = 书 shū. JP 書 in 図書館; the noun “book” was 本 yesterday. Canto 書 is the book.
• Fun fact: 借咗本書…睇. Measure 本. 睇書 = read. JP 地図を見て is a different 見る/睇.
• Memorize: Library stamp, book under the arm home: 借咗本書返屋企.
• Study tip: 書. Don’t answer 本 as Japanese.

7. 實際（sat6 zai3）

actual; reality · nyata, aktual

Example: 實際情況同我想像唔同。 — The actual situation is different from what I imagined.

• CJK: 實 = 实 shí. 際 = 际 jì. Mandarin 实际. JP 実際（じっさい）. HSK 诚实 shares 实; 相同 is “the same,” here things are not.
• Fun fact: 實際情況. 同…唔同. Contrast with 想像. 其實 is “actually (discourse).”
• Memorize: Fantasy cloud vs messy real desk: 實際情況唔同.
• Study tip: 實際. Don’t answer 真 or 相同.

8. 通知（tung1 zi1）

to notify; a notice · memberitahu; pemberitahuan

Example: 公司會提早通知員工有關假期安排。 — The company will notify employees in advance about holiday arrangements.

• CJK: 通 = 通. 知 = 知. Mandarin 通知. JP 通知（つうち）. Same 知 as 知道.
• Fun fact: 提早通知. Holiday roster. Verb or noun. 通告 is more “announcement/poster.”
• Memorize: Company memo, calendar circled 假期: 提早通知員工.
• Study tip: 通知. Don’t answer 告訴 as Mandarin.

9. 十幾（sap6 gei2）

more than ten; a dozen-plus · lebih dari sepuluh; belasan

Example: 我儲咗十幾年先買到層樓。 — I saved for over ten years before buying an apartment.

• CJK: 十 = 十. 幾 = 几 jǐ. Mandarin 十几. JP 十幾（じゅうき） / 十数年. 層樓 = a flat.
• Fun fact: 十幾年. 幾 ≈ “odd / plus some.” 十年 is exactly ten. Ties to 一千 saving, longer scale.
• Memorize: Calendar pages 11–19 years, then keys to a 樓: 儲咗十幾年.
• Study tip: 十幾. Don’t answer 十 or 二十.

10. 打開（daa2 hoi1）

to open; to turn on · membuka; menyalakan

Example: 幫我打開下部冷氣啦，熱死人。 — Can you turn on the aircon? It's so hot.

• CJK: 打 = 打. 開 = 开 kāi. Mandarin 打开. JP つける (today 電気をつけて). 冷氣 = AC.
• Fun fact: 打開冷氣 / 打開燈 / 打開門. Today is the AC. 熱死人. Not 打開書 unless that’s the sentence.
• Memorize: Pointing at the AC remote in a sweaty room: 打開下部冷氣.
• Study tip: 打開. Don’t answer 開 as a single syllable if the card is 打開.

11. 襯（can3）

to match (clothes) · serasi

Example: 件衫同條褲好襯。 — The shirt and pants match well.

• CJK: 襯 = 衬 chèn. Mandarin 衬 / 相称. JP 似合う. Dictionary also dumps alms / underwear — today is matching outfit.
• Fun fact: 衫同褲好襯. 件 / 條 measures. 襯衣 is a shirt in Mandarin; here 襯 is the verb “go with.”
• Memorize: Shirt + pants on a hanger, little hearts: 衫同褲好襯.
• Study tip: 襯. Don’t answer 內衣 or 適合 as Mandarin.

12. 唔需要（m4 seoi1 jiu3）

need not; unnecessary · tidak perlu

Example: 佢唔需要立法。 — He doesn't need to pass a law.

• CJK: 唔 = not. 需要 = 需要. Mandarin 不需要. JP 必要ない. 立法 = legislate (odd example; still the card).
• Fun fact: 唔需要 + verb. 唔使 is the snappier “no need.” 唔 vs HSK 不. Don’t answer 唔使 unless that’s the card.
• Memorize: Crossing out a law scroll: 唔需要立法.
• Study tip: 唔需要. Don’t answer 唔使 or 不用.

13. 萬（maan6）

ten thousand; a great number · sepuluh ribu; amat banyak

Example: 宇宙萬星中的太陽供給我哋熱力同埋光芒。 — Among the myriad stars in the universe, the sun provides us with heat and light.

• CJK: 萬 = 万 wàn. JP 万（まん） was yesterday’s Level 1 card. Mandarin 万. Surname Wan in the dump — not today.
• Fun fact: 萬星 = myriad stars (literary). Not 一萬蚊. Scale: 千 then 萬. HSK 光 today is 花光, a different 光.
• Memorize: Night sky packed with stars, one sun: 宇宙萬星.
• Study tip: 萬. Don’t answer 千 or 萬 as a surname.

14. 美國（mei5 gwok3）

America; USA · Amerika; Amerika Serikat

Example: 讀書，你決定去美國定去法國呀？ — For studying, have you decided to go to the US or France?

• CJK: 美 = 美. 國 = 国. Mandarin 美国. JP アメリカ / 米国. 法國 = France. 定 = or.
• Fun fact: 去美國定去法國. Study-abroad A-or-B. 美國 is the country; 美金 is the money (JP ドル yesterday).
• Memorize: Two boarding-pass arrows, US vs 法國: 去美國定去法國.
• Study tip: 美國. Don’t answer 法國 or 英語.

15. 不停（bat1 ting4）

non-stop; continuously · terus-menerus; tanpa henti

Example: 我今日一日不停噉做嘢，而家好攰。 — I've been working non-stop all day, now I'm very tired.

• CJK: 不 = 不. 停 = 停. Mandarin 不停. JP ずっと / 休まず. JP 休憩 is the opposite move today.
• Fun fact: 不停噉做嘢. 攰 = tired (Canto). 一日 = the whole day. 不停口 = talk without pause, another collocation.
• Memorize: Desk worker, clock spinning, sweat: 一日不停做嘢.
• Study tip: 不停. Don’t answer 繼續 unless that’s the card.

16. 唔見（m4 gin3）

lost; missing · hilang

Example: 我證件唔見晒仲辦唔辦到？ — My documents are all lost, can I still get them replaced?

• CJK: 唔見. Mandarin 不见了 / 丢了. JP なくす. 見 is “see”; with 唔 it lexicalizes as “lose.”
• Fun fact: 唔見晒 = all gone missing. 證件 = ID papers. 辦 = process a replacement. Not 見面.
• Memorize: Empty wallet, missing passport: 證件唔見晒.
• Study tip: 唔見. Don’t answer 見 or 丟 as Mandarin only.

17. 阻住（zo2 zyu6）

to block; to obstruct · menghalangi; merintangi

Example: 你個袋阻住咗條路。 — Your bag is blocking the way.

• CJK: 阻 = 阻 zǔ. 住 = result particle. Mandarin 挡住 / 堵住. JP 邪魔. Same 袋 as JP バッグ.
• Fun fact: 阻住 + 路. 住 is the aspect/result (“stuck blocking”), not “live.” 唔好阻住.
• Memorize: Fat bag in a corridor, people squeezing past: 袋阻住條路.
• Study tip: 阻住. Don’t answer 住 (live) or 路.

18. 係唔係（hai6 m4 hai6）

is it or isn’t it · apakah; ya atau tidak

Example: 你係唔係今日要加班？ — Are you or aren't you working overtime today?

• CJK: A-not-A with 係. Mandarin 是不是. JP 〜ですか. 加班 = overtime.
• Fun fact: 係唔係 + clause. Copula question, slightly impatient in this overtime ping. Not 喺唔喺 (location).
• Memorize: Colleague pointing at a clock past 6: 係唔係今日要加班.
• Study tip: 係唔係. Don’t answer 是不是 as Mandarin on this card.

19. 好心（hou2 sam1）

please (come on) · tolonglah

Example: 好心啦，唔好再煩我。 — Please, don't bother me anymore.

• CJK: 好 = hou2. 心 = 心. Mandarin 好心 is “kind heart.” Canto 好心啦 is “for goodness’ sake.”
• Fun fact: Annoyed please, not a saint. 好心人 is a kind person — not this sentence. 唔好再煩我.
• Memorize: Palm out, “enough,” someone still poking: 好心啦，唔好再煩我.
• Study tip: 好心. Don’t answer 善良 or “kind.”

20. 睇住（tai2 zyu6）

to watch; keep an eye on · mengawasi; menjaga

Example: 但今時今日，佢又睇住佢不斷噉樣淪落，由九七年淪陷之後，到到依家。 — But today, she watches helplessly as it keeps deteriorating, ever since the 1997 handover, right up to now.

• CJK: 睇 = look (Canto). 住 = on/continuously. Mandarin 看着. JP 見て（いる）. Same 住 particle as 阻住.
• Fun fact: 睇住 can be “watch the bag / the kid.” Today’s example is watching a place decline after 97. 淪落 / 淪陷 is the politics in the sentence; the word you grade is 睇住.
• Memorize: Person at a window, city getting shabbier: 睇住佢不斷淪落.
• Study tip: 睇住. Don’t answer 睇 or 照顧 unless that’s the card.