As the majority of the population in Hong Kong are descendants of migrants from China’s Canton Province, the vast majority speak standard Cantonese or other Yue Chinese varieties as a first language, with smaller numbers of speakers of Hakka Language or the Teochew dialect of Southern Min.
Besides, What is hello in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong. … Neih hou (pronounced “nay-ho”) is used to say hello in Hong Kong. The pronunciation of hou is something between “ho” and “how.” But realistically, saying a simple hello (same as in English but with a little more “haaa-lo”) is extremely common for informal situations!
Keeping this in mind, Can hongkongers understand Mandarin? Mandarin is not just spoken on the mainland, but also in Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, and elsewhere throughout the world. It is now the lingua franca for the Chinese language globally. But most Hongkongers cannot speak Mandarin fluently.
Do you need to speak Chinese to live in Hong Kong?
You don’t need Cantonese or Mandarin to live and work in Hong Kong in most cases. We know designers, computer programmers, financiers, teachers and business owners that have no knowledge of Cantonese or Mandarin and still make a very good living here.
Is Mandarin and Chinese same?
Mandarin is a dialect of Chinese. Chinese is a language (Mandarin is one of the dialects of Chinese alongside Shanghainese, Cantonese and many more).
How do you greet someone in Hong Kong?
Greetings
- Hong Kongese culture has adopted the western handshake as the norm. It should be accompanied with a nod and direct eye contact.
- A Chinese Hong Kongers’ handshake may be rather light.
- Older Chinese Hong Kongers may lower their eyes while greeting someone.
- Address a person by their title and surname.
What is ni hao ma?
“How are you” is the most common way to greet people in English, therefore it’s natural for an English speaker to ask a Chinese how to say “how are you?” Well, literally translating “how are you” into Chinese is “ni hao ma”.
What does lay Ho Ma mean?
LAY HO MA!! That’s “how’s it going” in Cantonese how would you like to turn humble ingredients into incredibly delicious meals easily and with absolute confidence?
Is Mandarin spoken in Taiwan?
Since 1940s, Mandarin has been the most widely spoken language in Taiwan’s school. Mandarin became the national language of China in 1911. Mandarin was introduced to Taiwan’s school after the Republic of China took over Taiwan and its surrounding islands from Japan, and became the official language of Taiwan.
Is Mandarin understood in Hong Kong?
When Hong Kong was handed back from the UK to China in 1997, only a quarter of the population spoke any Mandarin. … But even as people get better at communicating in Mandarin, also known as Putonghua, some in Hong Kong are losing interest, or even downright refusing to speak it.
Can Mandarin speakers understand Cantonese?
No, they are completely different languages. Although Cantonese and Mandarin have many similarities, they are not mutually intelligible. This means that, presuming one has no significant exposure or training, a speaker of Mandarin will understand little to nothing of Cantonese and vice-versa.
Can you get by with English in Hong Kong?
Can a short term visitor expect to get by just by speaking English there? The prevalence of English in Hong Kong is actually surprisingly low, even though it is a former British colony, with just under half the population (46%) being able to speak English.
Do I need to learn Cantonese to live in Hong Kong?
[Many expats] don’t have to learn the language because other people are handling it for them. Important people in Hong Kong, executives for big companies, always have factotums who handle everything Cantonese for them.” … “But it won’t be a full life unless you speak Cantonese and read Chinese characters.”
How widely is English spoken in Hong Kong?
The proportion of the Hong Kong population who report using English (that is, all forms) as their “usual spoken language” increased from 2.8% in 2006 to 4.3% in 2016, while 51.1%, 63.5% and 65.6% respectively, reported being able to speak, write and read the language.
Should you say Mandarin or Chinese?
Not at all! There is absolutely NO negative cannotation in this word to Chinese people. When you say “mandarin”, you are basically referring to “Standard / official spoken Chinese” or “Pu-Tong-Hua”. Mandarin is the official state language of China and is the lingua franca of the country.
Is it better to learn Chinese or Mandarin?
Likewise, if you’re interested in working in most other parts of China, Mandarin will serve you better. This may explain why most students of Chinese language opt for Mandarin, as it opens up more opportunities. As a result, there are also more courses and materials available for learning to speak Mandarin Chinese.
Why is Chinese called Mandarin?
When Jesuit missionaries learned this standard language in the 16th century, they called it “Mandarin”, from its Chinese name Guānhuà (官话/官話) or ‘language of the officials’.
How do you show respect in Hong Kong?
Meeting and Greeting People
- Greeting a Westerner with a handshake is common. People shake hands with rather light pressure.
- During the handshake, many people in Hong Kong will lower their eyes as a sign of respect. …
- When attending a large function, you may introduce yourself to other guests.
How can I be polite in Hong Kong?
Give and receive everything with two hands. Serve others before serving yourself. Burping, spitting and other related behaviours are considered rude and impolite for most.
What is Sik fan?
Basic cantonese 101. 食飯 Sik Fan la! = Eat rice/Lets eat dinner!
How do you respond to Ni chi le ma?
Usually when others greet you with “你吃了吗(Nǐ chī le ma)?” you can answer: “吃了, 你呢(chī le, nǐ ne) Yes, how about you?” or “还没有, 你呢(hái méiyǒu, nǐ ne) Not yet, and you?” Then you can move on to any other conversation.
How do you respond to Ni hao ma in Chinese?
Friend: Ni hao ma? (how are you?) You:
Wo hen hao!
…
Simple Responses in Chinese
- Hao: good.
- Hen Hao: very good.
- Bu Hao: not good (bad)
- Xie Xie: thank you (pronounced similar to “zh-yeh zh-yeh” with two falling tones) is optional and can be added to the end.
- Ni ne: and you? ( pronounced “nee nuh”)
What is the difference between Ni Hao and Ni hao ma?
Ni hao means hello. Ni hao ma means ‘how are u? ‘ or ‘what’s up’. 你好means hello，for example: 你好，好久不见（hello, long time no see) 你好吗means how are you.