SECTION: TO NEED / TO WANT / TO EAT |
English: | To want / to need | |
Chinese: | yau |
English: | What do you want? | |
Chinese: | nee yau shun-muh | |
Literally: | you want what? |
The verb yau followed by a noun means to want, and followed by a verb implies to need. |
English: | I want rice | |
Chinese: | woh yau ee-guh fahn | |
Literally: | I want one rice |
We will discuss the word for one later |
English: | I want you | |
Chinese: | woh yau nee | |
Literally: | (same) |
English: | I need to eat | |
Chinese: | woh yau chih | |
Literally: | (same) |
English: | I need to eat (a meal) | |
Chinese: | woh yau chih fahn | |
Literally: | I need to eat rice |
English: | Do you want? | |
Chinese: | nee yau mah | |
Literally: | you want +? |
Another way of asking a question (other than using mah) is to instead place the positive and negative forms of a verb back-to-back, effectively giving the listener a choice: |
English: | Do you want? (using +/- verb construction) | |
Chinese: | nee yau boo yau | |
Literally: | you want-not-want? |
English: | Don't want (say this to pushy merchants) | |
Chinese: | boo yau | |
Literally: | not want |
English: | No thanks | |
Chinese: | see-ay-see-ay, boo yau | |
Literally: | thanks, not want |
SECTION: DELICIOUS |
English: | Delicious (said about food) | |
Chinese: | hau chih | |
Literally: | good to eat |
English: | Very delicious | |
Chinese: | hun hau chih | |
Literally: | very good to eat |
English: | Really | |
Chinese: | jun / jeun |
English: | Really delicious | |
Chinese: | jun hau chih | |
Literally: | really good to eat |