A CANTONESE-ENGLISH DICTIONARY OF

CAJrl'OHESE GAHG SLANG

Editor:

Fritz Chang

LanCJUage Specialist Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston, Massachusetts

This dictionary is intended for law-enforceaent officers as

an investigative aid to understanding cantonese-speaking

organized crime groups in major North American .etropolitan

areas. It includes codewords, idiolllS, Jletapbors, street

language, colloquialislllS, neologislllS and others. Since gangs,

crimes and the law are closely related, many criminal and legal

terms are also included. ./ _-'

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\. I ; .. ~.~\..;:. ' fA "'- ".

~ L..,.....- ~} r '

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1 1 2 2 5 5

8 10 17 19 19 20 30 47 49 50 51 53 56 58 59

COH'l'ENTS

I. Preface

II. Introduction

III. Map of Tbe East coast of China

:IV. cantonese - English Alien SJruggling

Bribery

conspiracy Discriaination and Racism Extortion

Figbts, Weapons and Firearas Gcmbling

Geographical Nalles Intelligence

Kidnapping

Larceny

Law Enforcement and the Court Miscellaneous Colloquialism Money and Loansharking

Money Laund.ering

Murder

Narcotics

Obscenities and Sex Words Prostitution

Robbery

Underworld Societies and street Gang Groups

iv v

ix

ii

IV. Indices

A. cantonese in Raaanization

B. English - cantonese

49 58

iii

PREFACE

This is a new, improved and expanded edition of the one

first distributed in August, 1994. In this edition more terms

and expressions have been included, typographical errors have

corrected and two new categories, namely, Discrimination and

Racism, and Georgraphical Names, have been added. The names of

two previous categories have been modified slight~y: in the first

'case, Law Enforcement is now Law Enforcement and the Court, and

in the second case, Underworld Societies is now Underworld

societies and Street Gang Groups. A minor point.in the original introduction has also been clarified. Other than these

improvements the organization of this new edition remains the

same as before.

Fritz Chang and Charlie Hickey .. t

Boston, Massachusetts . I' )

January, 1995 oJ

~.

iv

I. DITRODUCTIOH

Cantonese is a colorful colloquial language spoken in the City of Canton, Guangdong Province, China, and nearby cities like Hong Kong, Macau and others. (See map on page vi ii. ) Most Chinese people in the US, especially those who conduct business in Chinatowns across North America, speak this dialect. Because it is not the main-stream spoken language of China, Cantonese does not always use standard characters when expressed in written form. The main-stream or official spoken language of China is Mandarin, the dialect spoken in 'the City of Beijing. The written form of Mandarin is also the official written Chinese language. Cantonese differs from Mandarin in pronunciation, tones, intonation, and diction, but not in sentence structure or grammar. The great majority of characters used in written Cantonese are standard characters. However, many Cantonese slang terms use standard characters for their sounds but not for their intrinsic meanings. As a result, several different characters which have different meanings but sound the same or nearly the same may be used to express the same idea in spoken Cantonese. Quite a number of special characters not in common use or not used at all in Mandarin also appear in this colloquial speech. Official documents and proper or serious literature never utilize written Cantonese.

No system of Romanization of Cantonese is universal. The Pin-yin system is used for Mandarin only. The system used in

v

The entries in this dictionary are some of the more common

this dictionary is a combination of several systems of

Romanization of Cantonese. Tone markings have been deliberately

left out in this edition.

terms, phrases and expressions used by Cantonese-speaking gang

groups in the us. All the gang slang or codewords are marked

with an asterisk. These terms were compiled' from several sources

in the U.S., including electronic surveillance overhears,

convicted Asian gang members, informants and cooperating witnesses. Of course all these terms are well-known in Hong Kong which is probably where most of them orginated from in the first

place. It should not be surprising that cantonese-speaking gangs also use many legal or formal terms for which there are no slang equivalents. These have also been included in this dictionary together with terms and expressions that are in common use in

Chinese-language newspapers and magazines.

The entries have been grouped according to criminial

categories arranged alphabetically. In case an entry qualifies

under more than one category, it will be repeated.

All the characters have been written in the traditional or "faan tai, tit" "style. No simplified characters are used in

.:" .. "& this edition.

Cantonese-speaking criminals u~e a lot of Cantonese

vernacular which does not always have an exact translation in

English. In such a case, an English expression corresponding to

vi

the same usage is given. Vulgar expressions have been translated into English of the same or comparable level of vulgarity.

The < ••• > brackets signify an example in usage.

If the literal meanings of the characters can help increase the understanding of the expression, then they are enclosed in square brackets [ ... ]. Otherwise they are left out. The slash, I, between the Romanization groups the characters together for easier correspondence with the literal meanings of the characters given in the square brackets.

The { ... } brackets give the origin or formation of the expression if it is well known.

To the best of the compilers' knowledge no such reference material is available to law-enforcement officers who need to understand the criminals' jargon to assist in investigations and prosecutions.

The purpose of this project is to provide a "starter" dictionary that can grow with additions from law enforcement officers investigating Asian criminal activities as well as academic and community sources interested in Asian gang qulture. In order to get the most benefit fr~m this dictionary, a user probably needs to have some familiarity with Cantonese.

It is hoped that various segments of the law-enforcement community will also compile similar dictionaries in such languages as Vietnamese, Cambodian, Thai, Laotian, Korean and others. Suggestions, additions, corrections or amendments'are requested to improve this initial effort to understand the

vii

current common language of the cantonese-speaking criminal. Recipients' comments will be greatly appreciated. Please direct all correspondence to Fritz chang or Charlie Hickey, Federal

Bureau of Investigation (FBI), One Center Plaza, Government

Center, Boston, Mass. 02108-9970. (Tel.: (617) 742-5533; FAX:

(617) 223-6327)

Fritz Chang and Charlie Hickey Boston, Massachusetts

-August, 1994

viii

II. HAP OF THE EAST COAST OF CHINA

~ JAPAN'

,

•

(YELLOW SEAl

DONG HAl

•

(EASTCHINA SEAl

t

. \ .. _) .' \..J

.. ":

, ...... -; {

l <, /\

f \

.,' ... ~

.,1 .'"_ . .. .:-.-~

•

NAN HAl

(SOUTH CHINA SEAl

ix

<Ngaw tao do lei mei gwok. -

~ ~t.I ~Jl ~.k II.

I came to Amer~ca illegally.>

III. CANTONESE - ENGLISH

ALIEN SllQGGLING

Sieh tao

~t it

[Snake head]

Organizer of illegal immigrant smuggling.

Tao do

'it $,t

[To steal passage]

To sneak across a border;

to go to or to come to a country illegally.

<Kui tao do hui heung gong. -

1e. -iii ~~ ~ 1- ~~.

He went to Hong Kong illegally.>

Wat

sieh

Smuggling of people without proper papers across a border.

Yan ·sieh

J..-- ~t

[Person snake]

People without proper papers being smuggled.

BRIBERY l'ft n

Hang kui To bribe.

~t l'i

Kui 10

t'R~

Briberyy to bribe.

Bak (jung) yan
(;a (~t) J._
Bak yoi
Ia l
Bak yoi jung juk
<a tJ ft ~~
jee seung
! .J:_
Faa Kei
)1- u..
.. ~ A white person;

a person of the white race.

Kui 10

tR~

[To bribe

ging fong

lit. ~

(te) police

To bribe the po l.Lce ,

side]

To collect protection fee by a policeman from an illegal business for information or intelligence on police'. plans to raid the business.

*Sao peen

CONSPIRACY ~ .:.

T ;~

Chuun mao Conspiracy.

« ...:-tt

'r' i;r..

[Serial design]

DISCRIMINATION AND RACISM t- ~AL ~ /; i-i. Ut ~

The white race.

White supremacy;

a white supremacist.

The stars and Stripes; the star Spangled Banner; American.

~-I-

{"Faa,/~" means flower or floral

design. Here it refers to the stars on the American flag. '''Rei, ~, means a flag.}

2

disrespectful term. A polite westerner.}

(Foreign) devil, i.e., a Caucasian man.

{Originally a derogatory term, it has been in such frequent use that many Cantonese speakers no longer feel that it is a particular.ly term would be "Sai yan, l& ~ "a

. (Faan) gwai 10

tt) ~ 'at

[(Barbarian or foreign) Devil guy)

Gwai mui

~4

A Caucasian girl.

{Oringinally a degrogatory term, it has been in such frequent use that many Cantonese speakers no longer feel that it is a particularly disrespectful term. A polite term would be "sai yan or sai fong siu jieh,a~'f~~*.J-" a westerner or a western young lady.}

[Devil sister)

Gwai paw

(s ~At

T~ -1l:'

[Devil woman)

A Caucasian woman.

{Originally a derogatory term, it has been in such frequent use that many Cantonese speakers no longer feel that it is a particularly

A polite term would be "sai fong nui jee, fong fu nui C tit -c "both of which mean

disrespectful term. a ~ '* of "or "sai a western woman.}

Hak

•

,,"

gwai

~~

[Black devil]

A black person. {A derogatory term but used all the time among Cantonese speakers. A polite term is "hak yan,1 J...... " meaning a black

person. } •..•

Hak yan

! A-

I· ...

A black person;

a person of the black race.

Hak yoi The black race.
~ I
.... "
Hon yoi The ethnic Korean.
*f i 3

Jung juk

11 ~~

Race, racial.

Jung juk gag lei Racial segregation.
~! ~) .... p~ A1i
1:..
Jung juk kei see Racial discrimination.
~t ~" ~ fit
~
Kei see Discrimination.
~ ~JL
Lo faan A Caucasian person. {A derogatory
t t term but no longer particularly
disrespectful.} Sai yoi The ethnic Spanish.
- ~
\iJ;}
Siu so yan jung Minority (race) .
,1" tt. "- ft
Waa yoi The Chinese (as cultural or ethnic
~ ~ group); the ethnic Chinese.
Wong jung yan A person of the yellow race.
~ ~t A-
, ... 4

FIGHTS, WEAPONS AND FIREARMS

Yan jung kei see

~ ft ~ *.l

Racial discrimination.

Yat yoi

a i-

The ethnic Japanese.

EXTORTION it IJ -t ~ '1'

Lag sog Extortion, to extort.

fb $

Wat yan

~ /:

To extort (somebody).

Cheung

,tt

Gun.

Cheung hai

ft *A

Firearms.

Chung yeh

! off

[Heavy stuff]

Heavy firearms.

Oa

To hit, to strike, to beat up somebody.

<Kui yao mo da yan? -

~e. '1 frio ~j »; ?

.Did he beat up anybody?>

5

*Da

wok

~t

gam

~

To give someone a sound beating.

Da

sei

fl

-

9~

To kill.

<Da sei nei (kui, kui dei)! -

1r 9tJ ir,!

I'll kill you (him, them)!> <M ho da sei yan! -

"t ~ir f(, ~ ~

Don't kill (anybody)!>

[To beat (to) death]

*Fei

1ft

[To fly or flier]

A bullet.

Fei faat / fan

~~ 'li ~

Illegal sale of firearms.

mai / gwan fuo

~ ~ K

~lleg~1 / sale military fire]

of /

*Ga Chaang

fiG ~. if

~ tJ4.,..

[Tool or gear)

Weapons, tools, utensils, equipment, gear.

*Gao jai

~~ if-

[Small dog (or nine)]

A small fire.rItti a 9 mm handgun.

Gwan fuo

i k.

[r.h 1 i tary fire)

Firearms.

6

*Jek chao

. i ~*:J(.

One-on-one style of fighting (friend.s, onlookers and others are not supposed to help).

Hoi peen

'It' It

[To open sheet

(wafer, plate»)

To start a fight. (between. individuals or gang groups).

*Jat sai ma

To be in a state of readiness to engage in a fight.

*Lo mo
~ .~
[Old hair]
*Mai hei
t ~
[Buy up] Money contained in a red envelope given by the loser to the winner of a fight as an apology to the winner.

To kill someone by hiring a killer;

contract killing.

Pao

~~

[Cannon]

Firearms.

Pek yao

A! ~

[Chopping guy]

one who cuts or chops up someone with a knife.

Sung (somebody)
~ . . .
hui sai teen
-l- - 1:....
~ To kill (somebody).

[To send somebody

to the western heavens]

7

GAMBLING lftf

*Da haw
fT • 1-
iij
Da rna jeuk
fr Mt- ?i
Da pai
tT ~~
Da pai gao
tJ Jt' ~
*Dai dong
-"-. ~
[Big stall)
Do bok
tf tt To be a dealer in a gambling den •

*Tit

i~

[Iron]

A handgun; the ~olice.

Yuk yan

-'if ;....

[To touch people]

To touch somebody; to beat up somebody. <M ho yuk ngaw! -

*tf1~~!

Don't touch me!>

To play mahjong.

To play at a "card" game, including poker, pai gao, mahjong, etc.

To play a game of Chinese dominoes.

A gambling den.

Gambling, to gamble.

8

*Gaam cheung

t ~~

A guard at an illegal establishment;

to watch and guard an illegal establishment.

. Do bok goon A gambling den (club).

At t~ 1i

[Gambling institute or club]

Do cheung

It ~~

[Gambl~ng premises]

A gambling den or a casino.

*Dong hao

~t a

[A stall]

A gambling den.

[To watch the premises]

*Haw goon

III- .-r

i'ij a

[Responsible official]

Dealer at a gambling den or a casino.

Lo

t

[Old

jung

~(fJ

,.,~.

chief)

Operator or manager of gambling den.

Ma

jeuk

;ti

Mahjong.

*Ngao fong

* 1-

[Cow house)

An illegal gambling den (A Toisan expression).

{Toisan people call those in the U.S. who do hard menial work for a 1 i v ing Ie. g . I in a restaurant or a l.aundry, cows. After work they often congregate in gambling·dens; hence cow houses.}

9

Pai gao

~, JL

Chinese dominoes.

Su jaw

f~ It~

To have lost money in gambling.

Tai cheung

81.. e

~ ~~

[Watch the

To watch and guard an illegal gambling den.

premises]

*Teen man

*- ~

toi 11- c:J

A scout for an illegal operation; a lookout.

[(Meteorological) observatory]

Yat yeh hoi pei

E] ~ Pit' Jt

(Used by gambling dens)

Ready to deal day and night; open for (gambling) business day and night.

[Day night open skin]

Ying cheen

~ .

~i1L i\

To win money.

Ying jaw (cheen)

dJl~'- (1t)

To have won money.

GEOGRAPHICAL HAMES te. if. ~ ~.A-

Bak

~~

Beijing.

{Beijing is the current spelling used 'by the Communist Chinese

Older spellings include Peking and Peiping, the used before 1949 and still in use on Taiwan today.}

government. latter being

10

Bak Long See The Bronx.
~B 81 ~
'P
Ban Jao Pennsylvania.
11 ·,.1
Baw See Dun Boston (Mass.).
~IJ... -t ~l
Bo Luk Loon Brooklyn.
~ M! ~
Dag Jao Texas.
~~. '}ii
,~
Dai Luk The Mainland (of China).
K 1t
Daw Chieh See Da Dorchester (Mass.).
~ • at ~1
Daw Lun Daw Toronto (Canada).
~ i~ ~
Dung Ging Tokyo.
*- :t.
Fai Sing Philadelphia.
t t~ 11

.'

Faat Lai

~~! ~ f!.

Sing

4

'#-

Flushing (New York) .

Fukien Province or Fukienese. {Fukien is pre-1949 spelling and still in use on Taiwan.}

Fujian Province or Fujianese.

and used currently by the Communist

Fook Geen

{Fujian is post-1949 spelling Chinese.}

Fujian(ese}

~i J!

Current spelling for Fukien(ese} used by the Communist Chinese on the mainland.

A province on the southern coast of China.

Fukien

Gaa Jao

California.

Gaa Naa Dai

jJrJ t K

Canada, Canadian.

Gwangdong (Sheng)

• t (~')

Official name currently used by Communist Chinese government for Canton Provinc~ or Cantonese.

Gwong DQflg (SaaJ),i).

.. t (ii)

Canton Province or Cantone5e. {The current spelling used in mainland China is Gwangdong.}

Hak

i:-

II

[Guest family]

Traditionally spelled as Hakka, they are a people occupying the eastern most part of. the Province of Guandong. The principal city in this regi~n is called Mui Yuen,

or Mui County. {The dialect spoken in this region is very different from cantonese or Toisanese. It actually sounds. almost like a northern dialect. Historically,the people in this region

Gaa

s.

12

Hong Jao
It :Hi
,
Jee Gaa Gaw
t lJa k.
.,
Jung Gwok
f~ connecticut.

came from Henan Province about five hundred years ago, which probably explains the resemblance of the Hakka dialect to northern dialects.}

Hen Gwek

nWJ

Korea •.

Chicago.

China.

{Jung mean middle or center. Gwok means nation.}

Jung Gwok Sing
of • 1~
[China town]
Kwan See
fa .r?p
~~
Law Saang
~ ~
!11
Maa Loi Sai Nga
.~ t - _i.
till
Maa Saang
Jff t Chinatown. {Not used as frequently. as Tong Van Gai by the Cantonese.}

Quincy (Mass.).

Los Angeles.

Malaysia or Malaysian·.

Massachusetts.

13

America(n) .

{Mei is partial transliteration of America. Gwok means country.}

Maan Haa Dun Manhattan (New York) .
it 11k- tl
II
Mak sai Gaw Mexico.
f. --
- ~
.;t: dI1
Man Tit Ng Transliteration of Manhattan (New
~ i~f York) according to the Toisan
dialect. Maw Dun
!J .1
Ai
Mei Gwok
~ ~
[Beautiful country]
Mei Yan Jao
~ ® ~
Mun Dei Haw
~~ ~~ "ij
Naarn Mei Jao
~ ~ -Jti
Nao Yeuk
t:!L !9
Ng Yab
1L 0
e,
[Five Districts] Malden (Mass.).

Maine.

Montreal (Canada).

South America.

New York.

A region to the southwest of the city of Canton (currently known as Guangzhou) in the Province of

Guandong. It is a consortium ~

of fiye districts of which Toisan ".14

14

San Jao

New Jersey.

. is the best known •• The other four are: San wui, ~ t , Yan Ping l. t ' Hoi Ping lIu -t ,and Hok san" J.i. {Tl1e dialect spoken ln this region differs slightly from district to district. Previously, this region was known as Sei Yab, a consortium of four districts.}

Ngao Dun

!f .1

Newton (Mass.).

Ngao Jao

it -;jtJ

Europe.

Saam Faan See

;. tS ~

San Francisco.

sei Yab

\1fJ e

A region to the southwest of the City of Canton (currently known as Guangzhou) .in the Province of Guangdong. It was a consortium of

a new district, Hok San Ct.u ,was created the name of the region toNg Yab,a consortium See Ng Yab.

four districts but recently, changin~ of five districts.

Seung Hoi

J:. .J.!::!

lit

Shanghai.

Sieh Low

-tJt-

Seattle

Sing Jao

;. ~

Singapore.

15

Chinatown.

{Tong Yan means Chinese. Gai means street.}

Tai Gwok
~ @J
Toi Bak
~ ~b
C1 Thailand.

Taipei.

Toi

A district to the southwest of the City of Canton, currently known as Guangzhou, in the Province of Guandong. {Most of the Chinese immigrants who carne to the U.S. in

the nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century were from this district .. The Toisanese dialect is very different from the Cantonese dialect.}

Saan

Toi Waan
~
b- "fj~
C2 -ri5'
Tong Yan Gai
Ii A. ~:tr
Z~
Waa Foo
~ .».
~ },{
Waa Sing Doon
• ~ tA
l111
Waan Gaw Waa
f!J _.. ¥
-;_ -Yf
Wong Hao Koi
(g /; -
I!!.
s: Taiwan or Taiwanese.

Washington, D.C.

Washington. (D.C. or state)

Vancouver (Canada).

Queens (New York).

16

wok ~,.

it

To reveal a secret.

Wu Naam

Hunan Province.

Yat Boon

Japan'or Japanese.

Yuet Naam

Vietnam or Vietnamese.

INTELLIGENCE Ii.. (·tt fa.)

*Bao dai

*Bao heung hao
~! • a, a
~
*Bo chuen
t'~ =t To talk about a secret inadvertently .

To give information to law enforcement.

*Duk / yan /

.:¥; A.

[Stab people the) back]

bui ~t.

Ii,

(~n

. jek

t

To doublecross someone.

*Fung

J~

[Wind]

News, information, intelligence.

17

*Hei dai

,i!~

[Raise bottom]

To find out someone's background.

{To get to the bottom of someone's background.}

*Gam / sao jee

~ 4- ~ij

[Gold finger]

One who squeals;

to testify as a witness against a defendant.

*Geen liu

u- *4-

[Tough material]

Good, solid information, material or person.

*Gwat liu

-ilj *t

[Scrape (for) material]

To gather or search for information.

*Jo jam

1&t it

[To act (as a) needle]

To be an informant.

*Lao liu
~i *4
*Lo dim
t fli
,., ,
*Lui hei
taP ,~
-!
[Thun er air] False, useless or incorrect information.

To lie; to take someone for a fool.

Loyalty.

Ngam yu

a~a ~~

all-

[Secret language]

Code, codeword.

18

Bong ga

"'~ ~

[To tie (to) a rack]

To kidnap, kidnapping.

*Teen man toi

~ ~ t

[(Meteorological) observatory]

A scout for an illegal operation; a lookout.

*Yeung jaw

.tj. ,,~~ ~~

(Said of a secret) Exposed; The cat is out of the bag •

KIDNAPPING

Bong piu

!IP l

To kidnap, kidnapping.

*Sam (or tsam) t ..

-s-

"/

A kidnapping victim.

ginseng considered to be short for ransom.}

•

{Sam ( ~ ) is probably used as a

short for "yan sam A. ~ ," i. e. , worth a lot of money. It co~ld also be

LARCENY

Bao sit

~l ~

To steal, to burglarize.

Cheung (yeh)

tt (aff)

To rob somebody of (something).

19

To steal

<Kui ge ngan bao bei yan tao jaw hui. -

~e. 1I,t, iJ. t1 l' ,t_ ~ir -it -k

Somebody stole his wallet.>

Ja

peen

Fraud.

Ngag yan

trk A...

To fool, cheat or swindle people.

Ngan hong I ja

i.~ ~t i'f:

[Bank fraud]

peen

.~,

Bank fraud.

sit do
a1fl ... '"
M ~4
JjI2.
Tao
"if Theft, larceny.

To gyp people;

to take somebody for a fool.

Wan 10 chan

Bat da jee jio

~, ~r tJ 1?l

[No beating self or automatic confession]

To confess without duress.

Been ging chuen

,t ~t ~

~ duei

,~; i(~

~ r~J(.

Border patrol unit.

20

Chai yan

t ~

[Errand man]

A policeman.

Been woo lut see
j~f itt ~t tcp
. ..~
Bei go
*Jt ~
cJ.
Bei kui lao
iJt ~~ ~
\fJ
Bo sao hang wai
iff, ,. '-t .~
~ ~
Chai 10
:k it
[Errand guy] Defense lawyer.

The defendant, the accused •..

To be in custody; to be detained.

To be on probation.

A cop.

Chao faan

A prisoner, a convict.

Chaw gaam

1Jt~

[To sit (in) jail]

To go to jail.

Chee hai geeb fei

tt i~ if l!I.

Armed robber.

Chuen jio

it g

chut ting ling

tta l'

Subpoena

21

District court.

Chung gung
,;... /'--
lA
JlJ ~
Dai bo
l! i~
Dai gai chut ging
iA ~~ ~ ~t
Dai pui sam tuen
-A. ~~ i til
Dei fong faat yuen
:t~ ~ ~4; ~t
Faah faat
~e ;;~
[To violate law]
Faan hak faat
&. t :J:..
.' ., ,~
Faan yan
~~ A...
Faat ting
.~-i Ii.
Faat yuen
;~ ~t To confiscate.

To arrest.

To deport.

Grand jury.

To break the law.

Racketeer influenced and corrupt organization, RICO.

A prisoner, a convict.

A court of justice; a courtroom.

A court of justice; a courthouse.

22

Gaam fong

§t~

[Custody house]

A prison.

Fei

faat :J:. r~

Illegal.

Fei faat hang wai
41=- ::1:- ~t .~
,~
Fei hang see faa
~J; It'! f iG
*Fong sieh
~t ,
~'tt
[To let loose snake] Illegal activity.

To decriminalize.

To use or to send an undercover agent to investigate illegal operations.

Gaam yuk

~ ~ik

[Custody prison]

A prison.

Gam baan

~J (111

;'f, U

[Forbidden item]

Contraband.

cha goon

~'i

~

Prosecutor.

Ging fong

~~

... .

[Pollce slde]

The police.

23

Ging tsat A policeman, the police.
.lIt f
~
•
Go dang faat ting Superior court.
~ ~ ... j. Jjt
~ ,~
Go dang fa at yuen Superior court.
i ;f -~ .
~t
~
Hab faat Legal.
,6... :l-
CZ ~""
Hang see Criminal.
it·] f
Hang see so jung Criminal prosecution.
"1 f Vt ~.I'\.
i~
Hao gung Testimony.
t2 1*
Hei bo cheem to To jump bail.
i; 1.(1 ... t,t. ·I~
1ft I~ iq l!::
Hei so To indict; to prosecute.
~ iJf
Hong go To indict; to prosecute.
i~ ~
CZ 24

Proof, . evidence .

Hong haak
-sA., ~
'v'
Jao ging (guk)
1i1 t- (~)
is
Jee tao log mong
- t~ ;i-
.. Jing 90i
-il_~ ~
;i", g_.
Jing "ming
i~ aJl To threaten; to intimidate.

State police (department)

To walk right into a trap.

To do something bad and in such a stupid way so that one gets caught.

To prove.

Jing yan -i'_~ I .~ r»:

Witness.

*Jo jam

i.t it

[To act (as a) needle]

To be an informant.

Joi to

To be at large, to be on the loose.

Juk (yan)

tl. (A.)

To arrest someone.

<Kui bei ging tsat juk jaw hiu -

1e. l' , f. tl cr~ -t- .

He was arrested by the police.>

<Ging tsat yao mo juk do yan? - • !I: ~ 'ii t!. f1 .A_?

[To catch people]

Did the police arrest anyone?>

25

Jung saan gaam gam

,.~ - t. 't

Life imprisonment.

To arrest.

Lai (yan)

~~ (,,)

To arrest somebody.

<Kui bei ging tsat lai jaw hui. -

~ e. ~f1 ~ $ tiL ~ ~

.,- " ,,~

He was arrested by the police.>

*Lo jab
~ iJl
*Lo luen
t ~,~
[Old federal] A plainclothesman.

(In the US) The Feds.

(In Hong Kong) An abbreviation of an underworld group in Hong Kong whose full name is Luen Ying Sieh -

~t' .;t f;i:.

Luen bong

~f' I-~

[Federal or

United States]

The Feds.

Luen Bong / Diu Cha / Guk

~,~ fp ~J!] t ~

[Federa~ investigation bureau]

The FBI.

Luen bong

~~, Ip

dan wai

~ 1~

jab faat

~~ ~~

Federal law-enforcement unit.

26

To plead not guilty.

Luen bong tsab duk guk
~~~ f~ !~ t ~
Luit see
~t iip
Luk yee
~~ il<-
[Green clothes]
M ying joi
11.g. i~ -
.~ 41=-
[Not to admit guilt]
Mai yuk!
(11 ... iii~ !
Meng on
~ ~
~
Mio see faat ting
-.t, tl ~~ b1
tlU
Muk gik jieh
~ it ;if
-t
Mut sao
:f'lI ~t..
,~
Naan tou faat mong
t1! ~ ~~ !fJ Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA.

Lawyer, attorney.

Slang for a policeman or the police; a flatfoot. {Green used to be the color of police uniforms

in China or Hong Kong.}

Don't move! Freeze!

Homicide.

Contempt of court.

Eyewitness.

To confiscate.

It is difficult to get away from the long arms of the law ..

Crime does not pay.

27

An informant.

*Nao (or Lao) gei
ill. ,
""t,
i
[Turning fellow]
Pui sam tuen
~.g. i 111
Pui sam yuen
s- i t
p~
Sao hoi jeh
<U ~ t
I~ =t
Sao hoi yan
~ t s;
Seen yan
~~ )....
,r" "'
[Thread person]
Seung so
J:. l* A turnkey; a jailer; a prison guard.

Jury ..

A juror.

A victim.

A victim.

To appeal.

Seung so faat ting
J:. i~ :J:-. .a
I~
seung ting jo gung
j:. lit 1~.t 1!:
Sing so yo
·t1- !it It Court of appeals.

To testify in court.

Sexual harassment.

28

Wai faat

;-1: :~

~ ,1-,

[Break law]

Illegal.

So jung
i~ ..
-::,,"
i~
Suen man
~~ ~
Suen poon yao juei
,~ 1'J 1f TF
8
- Lawsuit, litigation.

Boat people.

To convict, to declare guilty.

*:;k dJao

JY~

[To ki coop]

(Said of an illegal operation) To be raided by the police.

Wong hei

t l

[Royal air] {Attitude displayed by the royal

Hong Kong police or the imperial police of the Ching Dynasty which ended in 1911.}

The police.

Yan do

51 ~Jt

To extradite.

-

mong da

!fJ rr

juen

To round up all the criminals at one time.

Yat

:t:

- [To catch all the

fish in one net.]

Yee Man

+1 ~

Guk

~

Immigration and Naturalization Service, INS.

[Immigration department]

29

Yim yee faan

~t u. ~e

suspect.

-

-

ng

1L

jai

it

An informant.

*Yee

[Two five boy]

Yee

"A

saan see It .:..,.-

~ j$\t

faat

~!

To defy the law;

To dare to violate the law.

[Using oneself to test the law.]

Yim

tt

yee

let

Suspicion.

Ying joi i'll \117 rt/-:...· ~r:

[To admit / being guilty]

To plead guilty.

Yuen go Plaintiff~

J,f, *

MISCELJ.AHEOUS COLLOQUIALISM f. ~11~ tt

*Ban

t

jao jai

*I if

A small antenna (for a mobile phone) .

[Small penis]

Beep baa

l;l' le.

Beeper.

{Transliteration of beeper}

30

Chaan goon

~. it

[!al institute]

A restaurant.

Beh jao

oJ¥. ~~

[Beer alcohol]

Beer.

{"Beh" is transliteration of beer.}

The grass is greener on the other side of the fence.

Boon gan bat

. f- Jf ~'-

[Half a catty, eight taels.]

leung

fig

Six of one and half a dozen of the other •

{A catty egan) is a unit of weight in China, consisting of 16 taels (leun.g ~ ). 12 taels weigh approximately 16 ounzes.}

Loot a burning house;

Kick the man while he is down.

Chan fuo da geeb

Chao

t

Stink, stinking, stinky, smelly.

To fire somebody from his job. . {In old China, apprentices and employees worked, ate and slept on the premises of the employer. When a person was fired, he must roll up

his quilt in the sleeping quarters and take it with him when leaving the premises. Pieces of squid when fried in a pan roll up and are used to signify the rolling up of the quilt of a fired employee.}

Chao yao yu

~). itt:. ,~,

[To fry squid]

31

(To say or do something that reveals the very secret that one wishes to hide.) There's nobody here but us chickens.

{A man who never had any money

all his life suddenly inherited three hundred taels of silver. (A tael is a unit of weight used in China.. It is roughly equivalent to 38 grams or 1.3 ounces.) After burying it for safekeeping, he still felt uneasy for fear that it might be stolen. So he erected a sign at the spot saying "You will not find three hundred taels of silver buried at this spot!"}

Chee dei

~t. t~

mo

- ""

-

ngan

!: 1&.

leung

iiJ

saam baat

Chee seen

~,1 ~fg

1:& ••• ;J<..

Crazy.

<Nei ge yan chee seen ge.

4t ·'st f..- "i !l ,,~{,.

You are crazy.>

Chiu

A euphemism for "fuck" when used alone. {Often used by women.}

To be snobbish, aloof, nasty, mean, rude, conceited, arrogant.

Chuen

Chuen jaan gei

1~ -t ft

A fax machine.

Chui jeung

rlt ~*~

[Blow swollen or expanded]

To be pissed off. <Ngaw bei nei chui

~ l' '&1' ff~

You piss me off.>

jeung. -

~.

Chui sui

rl~ ~<...

[Blow water]

To talk about unimportant matters.

32.

To·be a cuckold.

To be two-timed by one's wife.

Chut kei
~ I:.
-iT
Daa deen waa
tr t it
Dai gaw dai
J:_ -, f,
~
Dai jek gwong
"-- it •
c...
[Big talker]
Dai luk mo
~ !~ epl
[To wear a green To be surprised; to be surprising.

To make a phone call.

A mobile telephone; An underworld boss.

One who talks a lot but never takes any action;

a big mouth.

hat. ]

Dai to
~ Jlt
[Big belly]
*Dam ding
- '/:.' ~
- ... :.t.
I'J<..
Dao nai
fa. j~
Faa lei
Jt/- *'J
fie.
*Faan
'4\' To be pregnant.

Not to worry;

Not to be afraid.

To be inferior; to be of inferior or poor quality.

Gratuity, tips.

(Gang) association or group:

<Been faan!- .. > .....

Which gang group'?> iI.. ~?

33

Gaa chee bat

1'1. Itt 1,

deen

;'f~

Play dumb while remaining smart.

Faan Heung Gong

~ t .;~

To go back to Hong Kong.

Fong fei

~t #it

gei

..

To miss an appointment.

[To let the airplane take off.]

Fook gei

~i ~

[Return machine]

To return a phone call.

Gam yu / 10

1" ,~, it

[Goldfish guy]

A man interested in sexually abusing children.

{A man who uses goldfish to lure children for sexual-abuse purposes.}

To be of age.

{The usual meaning of this expression is "true to scale in weight ... It is often used in the market place. If something that a customer buys is "gao ching," then it means that the vendor is giving the customer exactly the amount he is paying for. The vendor is not cheating the customer by giving him less than what the customer asked for. In the traditional Chinese market place, where vendors often cheat, a customer should not only ask for the price of an item before he buys, he should also ask, "Gao m gao ching?" i.e., "Are you giving me the full amount?" before he pays. Members of the underworld use this expression to find out if a new recruit is of age.}

*Gao ching

~~ *f

[Enough scale]

Gao m deem

t.!J .~ tl4_

Things are not working out; having trouble taking care of the -problem;

can't take care of the problem.

34

Gwaa jaw

/~ ~

To have croaked.

. Gio gai

12~ iii

[To call a chicken]

To patronize a prostitute •

{The word "chicken"· is the bestknown nickname for a prostitute.}

Gong cho hao

It #1l CZ

[To talk coarse mouth)

To use obscene language.

(Faan) gwai 10

(t) ~ 1t

[(Barbarian or foreign) Devil guy]

(Foreign) devil, i.e., a caucasian man.

{Originally a derogatory term, it has been in such frequent use that many cantonese speakers no longer feel that it is a particularly term would be "Sai yan," ~ )....

disrespectful term. A polite westerner.}

disrespectful term. A siu jieh, ~ ~ ,l- .u.

A Caucasian girl.

{originally a derogatory term, it has been in such frequent use that many cantonese speakers no longer feel that it is a particularly

polite term would be "sai yan or sai fong "a westerner or a western young lady.}

Gwai mui

~#

[Devil sister)

disrespectful term.

A Caucasian woman.

{Originally a derogatory term, it has been in such frequent use that many Cantonese speakers no longer feel that it is a particularly

A polite term would be "sai fong nui jee

Gwai paw

~f

[Devil woman)

" ,. -k i- or sai fong fu nui i1 ~ *t ~ ," both of which mean a western woman.}

Gwat yao

-t'J ~

To loo~ fqr someone for revenge.

35

Cantonese dialect.

Gwong dai waa
il J;.. it
C;wong dong waa
,.. * it
Haam sab 10
i' ~~ 1t
[Salty wet guy] To tell a lie.

Dirty old man.

Hak

~

• [Guest's

gaa

~

Hakka, a region in the eastern most part of the Province of Guangdong. {The dialect spoken in this region is very different from Cantonese or Toisanese. It actually sounds

like a northern dialect. Historically, the people in this came from the Henan Province about five hundred years

household]

almost region ago. }

Hak

f

,. ...

gwai

,~

A black person. {A derogatory term but used all the time. A polite term is "hak yan,. f....." meaning a black person.},n.

[Black devil]

Heung Gong
fs. ~t
[Sweet harbor]
Hing dai
5L ~
Hoi sam
M Ie.:. '
Ja pa
t! t,\" Hong Kong.

A brother; a f"ellow gang member .

To be in a good mood;" to be happy.

To be friends.

36

Jai

if

a diminutive suffix for a familiarity.

A boy, a son, a person; a member of a group or organization;

noun to denote smallness, youth

or

Jab sang

tA. 1-

[Pick live (ones)]

To do a good· job..·

Jak bo

See "Jik bo".

Jao

Alcohol, wine, liquor.

Jek so

A good deal.

{probably an English ,

tran~literation of "jeuk so -.l-ft" meanlng to have an advantage ~ simply a good deal.}

Jieh see waan wan

1i ;~ il t,t

To revive under a new disguise.

{In Chinese folklore, when a person dies, his soul leaves his body. If he comes back alive, it is believed· that his soul has re-entered his body. If his soul entered a different body, then the revived person would assume a very different character and personality. "Jieh see waan wan" almost says that a soul deliberately borrows somebody else's body in order to return to this world under a new disguise so as to hide his former identity.}

Jik bo

J}... tp

Check book or checking account. {This is most likely a Toisanese transliteration of a "check book".}

Jo / chaan goon

~ti:. ~ 1&

[To do~estaurant]

To be in the restaurant business.

37

To create trouble.

. Jo / kei toi

ift {t ~

[To do waiter(ing)]

To work as a waiter .

Jo / sang yee

1't 1- 1 ..

[To do business]

To be in business; to be a businessman.

Juk sing (jai)

11 It (if)

American born Chinese (boy). An ABC.

Juk sing (nui or mu i )
tt tt ~ or #)
*Jung chung
l:t I",
[Plant (or grow) worm] American born Chinese (girl). An ABC.

Kao (kao) kei

~ (;t{) t

(kei)

(t)

No need to be fussy. Anything will do.

Kei toi

1:~

[Stand (at or by) table]

To wait on tables (by a waiter at a restaurant) .

Kui

He, him, she, her, it.

Lai J.J. ~J£.

chai It.~ ;r ..

Slang for to die. To croak.

38.

Lo baan

t ~ (~~)

Boss, proprietor.

Lit jao

!.~l )11

[strong alcohol]

Hard liquor.

Lo

A guy, a fellow.

Lo

t

Old.

Lo fa an

t t

[Old barbarian]

A Caucasian person or Caucasion people. (A derogatory but no longer a particularly disrepectful term. )

Lo mo

-tlif

[Old mother]

Mother, old lady.

Lo pang

t ~~.~

[Old friend]

Old friends.

Lo

sai

Boss, proprietor.

seung sik

·1_ Ji\

[No fights, no getting to know each other.]

da

tr

No mutual blows, no friendship grows.

No discord, no concord.

39

Mai yuk!

"* 1p !

Don't move! Freeze!

Maa jai

. ~ ~f

A lackey, an underling, a pawn .

Maa lat 10

4JlLit

Bastal;'d, SOB.

*Meh wok

.Ji! 11

To assume responsibility for a crime or unpleasant task;

to be a fall guy or scapegoat.

[Carry wok on one's back] {A wok is almost always heavy,

dirty and greasy. To carry such an object on one's back is indeed a nasty and unpleasant task.}

Mei gwok

~. Ii

[Beautiful country]

America.

{Mei is a partial transliteration .of America.}

You.

Ng

1z..

A region to the southwest of the City of Canton in the Province of Guangdong. It is a consortium. consistin~ of five districts of which Toisan is the best known. The dialect spoken is this region differs slightly from district to district. Previously, this region was known as Sei Yab,

a consortium of four districts.

Yab

~

[Five districts]

Nga chat (chat)

~ 1f (tf)

To be cocky.

40

I, me.

Ngag yan
fl~ ;..._
*Ngao / yee jai
J,. ~ if
fZ;(..
[To bite ears]
Ngaw
~
Ook kei
Ii ~
Puk gai
tt ~ft
Saam bat jee
- l' ~C1
...
- To fool, cheat or swindle people.

To talk about something quietly and secretively by whispering into each other's ears.

One's home or house.

Drop dead! One who is asked to go and drop dead.

To claim not to know the beginning, the middle and the end of a matter; to claim complete ignorance (often under false pretense).

sai
ail
Sai 10
ilfl 'it
,...
Sai 10 gaw
it -
tEll .at
... To stay, to live, to sleep, to rest.

A younger brother. A penis.

A small child (male or female).

41

Boss, proprietor.

sai poon woon
,t U ~
i .~
[To wash plates, bowls]
Sam po
, . ~eL
I~
Sang yee
~ -t
tg'
See tao
~ i1
[Business head]
See tao paw
~ il -;«
-..,:
Sei ngan jai
r!!J ." if
[Four-eyed boy]
sei ngan 10
\!9 "all ~
[Four-eyed guy] To wash dishes in a restaurant;

one who washes dishes in a restaurant.

Daughter-in-law

Business.

wife of boss or proprietor.

Nickname for young male who wears glasses.

Nickname for ,any man who wears glasses.

Sei ngan mui

U9 sCc. «1:-

[Four-eyed sister)

Nickname for any young woman who wears glasses.

Sei ngan paw

\tS Il<. 1

[Four-eyed woman]

Nickname for any woman who wears glasses.

42

s i eh (wong)

-t (!-)

[Snake (king)]

To be lazy.

{To be a snake king.}

Sei Yab

f!!J e,

consisting of four towns but

A reg ion to . the .southwe.st of the city of Canton in the Province of Guangdong. It was a consortium

is now known as Ng Yab. See Ng Yab.

Sei yan tao
- A... Jl
,t:.
[Dead person's head]
Seung dak san daw
.J:. ~~ "" J
. jung yu foo
e-... iA. It
I"" .. A swearword used for a male or

a female. It is a term like the bastard, SOB, bitch, etc.

If one does risky things all the time, then sooner or later he will get into trouble .

{If you go up to the mountains a lot, then eventually you will encounter a tiger.}

To steal something at a convenient time and place without having to get out of one's way to do so. {This is a shepherd's metaphor. It means to lead a sheep away when a convenient opportunity happens to exist, such as following the swinging movement of one's hand.}

Soon sao hin

Jill 4- t

yeung

f

Su jung jee yao This is a saying that promotes
t f b t education and encourages young
people, especially those who are
wong gaam ook poor and underprivileged, to study
* ~ Ii (their books) diligently.
Literally, it tells people that
they will automatically find a house of gold in a book. Sui liu

.~ *1

[Bits and pieces.

of material]

A minor matter.

43

Tai gin dai sieh aw niu

.* t. ~ i't ~ ~

[To see a big snake

pass water]

To be surprised like a country hick when one sees·something new or unusual.

*Tai 10
8* :~
[To watch the road]
*Tai pa
8~ ~/\.
[To watch the rake]
Tao lung juen fung
it ft ft ~tl To be careful.

To be careful.

To steal something by making a secret sUbstitution.

{To steal a baby boy by substituting it with a baby girl.}

Teen haa / woo aa / All bad people in the world are
" r .~ t~ equally bad.
{In China black color is often used
to signify evil.}
[In the world / (all) crows/
yat boon / hak
,- ~ ~
,." ..
(are) equally / black] Tiu

A euphemism for "fuck" when used alone. {Often used by women.}

Tiu nui

it. -t-

[strip of girl]

(A derogatory term for) a girl; a broad.

<Gaw tiu nui hai been gaw?

cr1Sl 1'~ * 1t. i! 1 t1l ?

Who is that broad?> <Kui tiu nui mo lei.

!- Iii A+I. 1e ~'Jt, *" II .?It.

44.

His girl did not show up. > {Here "tiu 1+. " is used as quantifier for a girl. Normally "tiu" is the quanti~ier animal or object with a long shape:

a

for an

<Yat tiu gao

a dog.>,

<Saam tiu yu

three fish.>,

<Leung tiu sieh - iIl~tf: *t two snakes>}

Toi San A district to the southwest of the

~ JU City of Canton in the Province of

a Guangdong. Most of the Chinese

immigrants who came to the u.s. in the nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century were from this district. The Toisanese dialect is very different from the cantonese. dialect.

Tong long po seem

*f ~e~ It! jJ

wong cheuk joi hao

.. 1'i fL fl

To covet gains ahead without being aware of dangers behind.

{A mantis stalks the cicada, unaware that a oriole is behind.}

Tong yan

Ji~

[Tang person] {Here Tang refers to the Tang Dynasty of China, 618 - 907 A.D. This was one of the strongest and most prosperous dynasties in

Chinese history. Cantonese people sometimes prefer to call Chinese people "Tong yan". In Cantonese, "tong yan" is used interchangeably with "Chinese".}

A Chinese person.

Wan 10 chan

tl. -t IlL

To gyp people;

To take somebody for a fool.

Wan ngaw (nei, koi,

tlz ~ (i~, .,. 1e.

people, etc.)

J.-..)

baan tsat.

1- '¥

To ta~e me (you, him, people, etc.) for a stupid prick or fool.

To'gyp me (you, him, people, etc.) To rip me (you, him, people, etc.) off.

45

~.w ..

{To many people "baan chat, .... .,. "refers to a "stup~d pr i ck ;"

but the. euphemism "stupid thief, 1- ~ " is often used to hide the vulgarity. The two sound exactly the same.}

Wong / do / duk / hak

t. At • !,

Prostitution and pornography, gambling, narcotics, and organized crime

{"Wong I - yellow" is a general term in Doth Cantonese and Mandarin whichlfers to all businesses and materials of a sexual nature. "Duk "literally means poison in ge~ral but in combination with t e word "baan Ifl " as "duk baan la" it is used interchangeably with "narcotics". "Hak" means lack, but in the criminal world it is an abbreviation for "Hak sieh wui" - organized crime.}

[Yellow gambling poison black]

Yam jao

i~ ~i

To drink (alcohol).

Yam jui jaw

1~ IJf ~

[To drink to drunkenness]

To be drunk.

Yat man saam bat jee
--- p .. , .. l' ~u
~
-
[One question three don't
knows]
"saam bat jee" for another (Said of people who do not wish to give out information or cooperate) Ask a person about something and he will tell you that there are actually three things that he doesn't know anything about. (See

interpretation.)

Yee

gung duk

,;j:__ t

[Use poison against poison]

duk

t

To fight fire with fire. To fight evH with evil.

Yee

1.

hei

~

Loyalty to friends.

46

Yee nga waan nga
tI/, f ,t t
l!.. . tooth)
[Use tooth aga~nst
Yee yat doi 10
.,./.... ~ ~t , To repay evil with evil.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Relax while the enemy exhausts himself.

Yeh cho siu bat juen

Jf :t- ~t~, .t.

chuen fung choi yao sang

"~,,tJL~

Wild grass can never be burned off; the spring wind will rejuvenate it.

(There will always be criminals.)

Yuen gao

kan

gung

~t.

Befriend a distant state while. at.tacking a neighbor.

MOKEY AND LOANSHARKING It" it ~ ~t .1i ,*1 J

Bong sui To pay up, to pay money.

it ~

[Pound water]

Cheen
1t
Oa haw
tr >1-
i~
Oai yee lung·
J( 4 i
[Big ear open~ng) Money.

A dealer in a gambling place.

A per-son engaged in the loansharking business; loansharking.

47

{Sui,J<'- (water) in cantonese is the slang word for money similar to "bread" in English.}

Fong go (or gwai)

~t ~ (t>

[To give out high (or expensive) interest]

lei (tai)

~'J (1'>

To give high-interest loans.

*Fong so

~t tt

[To give out sum (figure)]

To give high-interest loans.

*Gaw sui

~,j<..

[Hand over water]

To pay up, to pay money.

Gui yeh

-'J. ·,t

[fo hold up

To pawn valuables.

{Counters in Hong Kong pawn shops are six feet or higher. Anyone who pawns anything must hold up his stuff, e.g., jewelery or other valuables, really high to reach the clerks behind the counter.}

stuff]

Jai jai

it 1f

[Debt boy]

A debtor.

Jieh cheen

'rt it·

to lend money:

<Nei jieh cheen bei ngaw.

To borrow money: <Ngaw tung nei jieh

~ liJ 1t 1f

I borrow money from

- 1~j: if 1i l' ~

cheen. -

~

you.>;

You lend money to me.>

*Jo so

1,t tk.

[To do figures]

To be in the business of giving high-interest loans.

48

Waan cheen

ll·~

[To return money]

To pay back a loan.

Ngan jee

'fa. ~£\,

[Silver paper]

Money.

*Sao

'it.

[To

so

t~

collect

To collect payments on highinterest loans.

figures]

Sao so 10

~L tk. 1t

[Collect account guy - .. account collecting guy]

A man who collects payments on high-interest loans.

*Yat ho

- t

[Ten cents]

One thousand dollars.

*Yat man ~

- J(...

[One dollar]

Ten thousand dollars.

*Yat pei

- Jt

[One dollar]

Ten thousand dollars.

MONEY LAUNDERING ~t ,~, it

sai hak cheen

;l, .f." 1\

[To wash black money]

Money laundering.

49

*Dui lam yan

ft i "-

[Poke collapse person]

To kill someone.

Hong sao

'tf

[Violent hand]

Killer, murderer, assassin.

Mao sat

.-:~ j:/t, .,if ... ,....Jl

[Scheme (to) kill]

Murder; to murder.

Ngam hoi

6~ ~ q 1:1

[Stealth victimize]

To murder.

Ngam sat

d~ ~IL

W I!I Ir-..

[Stealth kill]

To murder, to assassinate.

Ngam suen

~ ,:1 as 1t

[Secretly calcalate]

To plot against.

Sao hoi

1: f

[Receive

jeh

-t

disaster person]

Victim.

Sao hoi yan

,~ ~ A.

[Receive disaster person]

Victim.

50

Sei jeh

ft:. f

[Dead person]

(Murder) victim; the deceased.

Sat yan

*~ ~

[To kill

fong fuo

~i:. *-.

To commit murder and arson.

people and set fire]

Sat yan / hong / sao

tt A. '1L .f

[Killing violent hand)

Killer, murderer, assassin.

NARCOTICS

fI Da

Bak faan

a ~1}

[White powder]

White powder.

{Any narcotic' in the form of white' powder - usually used to describe heroin.}

*Chui hao

ax' a

kam II

;;--

mouth organ]

A method of using heroin in Hong Kong by placing it in a matchbox and inhaling it;

also, slang for cunnilingus.

[Blow

{Hao kam is the standard term for a harmonica. Literally, this expression means to play the harmonica.}

Dai maa

k~

Marijuana.

Do yao

i!~

A fellow drug addict.

Faan duk

tk. ....

[To se~ poison]

Drug trafficking.

51

To inhale or use drugs.

Faan

. ~

wan duk

it •

baan 1:7 era

Drug trafficking.

[To sell, transport poison (ous) items]

Haw ka ying
Cij t Jrl-
~
Hoi 10k ying
.. ~ ~ 11'1-
~t1J 4';.
Kab duk
g~ t-
[To inhale poison]
Nga peen (yin)
t!, }f
*See
~
[Key] cocaine.

{A transliteration of cocaine.}

Heroin

{A transliteration of heroin.} Also, see bak faan.

Opium.

Kilo.

{"Key" is used as short for kilo.}

*Seung deen

j:. t

[To charge electricity]

To take a fix by a drug addict.

{What is needed by a drug addict to function as a normal person.}

*Woo jiu

'.,4 ~!~

[(Ground black) peppers]

Heroin or any narcotics in the form of white powder.

{Ground black peppers in Hong Kong is almost white in color and also very fine. The full name is

"woo jiu fan *jA~*l t~ .. " or pepper flour. Drug dealers drop the "fan Jt~ " when conducting business.}

52

A euphemism for "fuck" when used alone. {Often used by women.}

OBSCENITIES AND SEX VORDS M ~~ I~ e 'tt ~i] !;j

Ban jao

t ~

A penis. Also, see "Lan."

Bok yieh

t -'t

To fuck, to ball somebody, to have

sex. {Literally "bok yieh "

means to bang things, but "bok" could also be a transliteration of to ball.}

Chat
J..I
"f
Chiu
~
Chui hao kam
crt. CZ ~ A penis. Also, see "Lan."

Slang for cunnilingus.

{Also see the same expression under narcotics.}

Chun doi

+~

.~ k

[Sprlng sac)

A cock, a penis. Also, see "Lan."

Diu

Fuck.

Diu kui 10 mo

e,~ if. ~ 4}-

(chao hai)

(~ &ft)

[Fuck his mother('s stinking cunt»)

Shit! (When immediately followed something else.);

Fuck his mother('s smelly cunt)! (When standing alone.)

(comrno~ street talk)

by

53 ..

Haam ga chaan

~ ~!'j

Shit! Damn!

An SOB. (Often preceded by Tiu1'i.)

(Ngaw) diu

(~) p,.~

nei

~~

la

.~i.

Fuck you!

Diu nei 10 me

~.~ ~i t 4f

(chao hail

(~ tV})

[Fuck your mother('s stinking cunt}]

Shit! (When imediately followed· by something else.);

Fuck your mother('s smelly cunt)! (When standing alone.)

(Common street talk)

Gio gai

O~ til

[To call a chicken]

To patronize a prostitute. {"Chicken" is probably the bestknown nickname for a prostitute.}

[(Let) the whole family be shoveled; damn your whole family;

May your whole family die off.]

Hai

Cunt. k.. ~

{Yam bo ,,.~ 'IIP (the female private

part) is tne formal expression.}

Hoi wok

Pit' it

[To open wok]

To have sex.

Keung gaan

~! It:

[Forced or forceful rape]

Rape.

Lan

Jt¥I (or ·tfl)

A cock, a penis.

Fucking or lazy (When used in such

expressions as "Lan yeung If" ~l:.

54

Lan yeung

Fucking shithead.

{Sometimes it is translated as "lazy appearance."}

- f';1cking appearance or shithead" or "Lan yeh ., :~, 11ft fucking buslness.")

{other common colloquial terms are ban jao t 1tI ' chat t

lug gao. Jc..', chun doi t·~ - spring sack, sai

10 ~.1t - little brother. The formal terms are yam ging pi ~ , yeung goi 11 ~ - male tool or yeung mat f6 t~ - ma.le object.}

Loon / dai mai

~ .. "- ~

[Waiting in turn / (for) rice]

Gang rape.

{This expression possibly came from the line of coolies waiting in turn to load or unload bags of rice on or from a truck, a common sight

in the Hong Kong market place.}

Lug gao

f,i It..~

[Log (of) cock)

A cock, a penis. Also, see "Lan." {"Lug" means a wheel or anything shaped like a wheel including things cylindrical in shape. In this expression it is used as a quantifier. As a verb it means to roll.}

Sing gao

Sexual intercourse.

Tiu

A euphemism for "fuck" when used albne. {Often used by women.}

Yarn

ging ~ (<'4..

::&-

A penis. (Formal.)

Also, see "Lan."

55

Cheung gei

*~ -it

Prostitution. (A formal expression.)

Yeung goi

A formal term for a penis. Also, see "Lan."

(Formal.)

PROSTITUTION ~t *'

Aap

f.I,

[A duck]

Nickname for a male prostitute.

{The nickname for a female prositute is gaiifi - chicken.}

Bo mo

~.~ -hj-

A madam.

Chieh pei tiu

~ Jl:. Jt 11 f:-

A pimp.

Nickname for a female prostitute. {"Deung" means "to peck or to peck at," i.e., the motion that a chicken uses in feeding. "Chicken

t1i (gai) is probably the most common nickname for a prostitute.}

Deung dei

If~ !€.J

Gai

ti!

[Chicken]

A whore;

a nickname for a female prostitute. (A formal expression is "Gei nui.") {This is probably the most common nickname for a prostitute. That for a male prostitute is "aap " duck.}

Gai dao

l1i ,~

[ChiCkl

A whor~house; a brothel.

coop]

56

Gung cheung

~~' *~

A licensed prostitute.

Gei cheung

-tt ~f,

Prostitution. (A formal expression.)

Gei nui

A female prostitute. (A formal expression.)

Gei yuen

1.l ,t

A house of prostitution. (A formal expression.)

Gio gai

~~ ~

To patronize a prostitute. (A colloquial expression.)

Gwai gung

A ,~

[Turtle man]

A pimp.

Gwai paw

A~

[Turtle woman]

A female prostitute.

Lo bo

:t ~.~

A female prostitute.

Lo goi

~!!f

A female prostitute.

Ngam cheung

at -t&

[Secret prostitute]

An unlicensed prostitute.

57

,

... ,

[Fishball

dan

i-

/ mui

#.

girl]

A prostitute (no intercourse involved) .

Pio gei

To patronize a prostitute. (A formal expression.)

Pio hak

i! ~

[Prostitute-visiting guest]

A patron of a brothel;

one who patronizes a prostitute; a john.

See dao

~~

[privafe coop]

A private brothel (by appointment only).

Yu

{Fishballs are a popular dish in Hong Kong. They are made by

holding a handful of mashed fishmeat which a person squeezes by making a fist. 'What comes out between the base of the thumb and the bent index 'finger is roughly in the form of a ball which is scooped up with a spoon. nyu dan mui" is a prostitute who allows her customers to squeeze her or do other things to her but no sexual intercourse.}

ROBBERY ~1 4;1)

Chee / hai

~t ~

[Hold I gun robbery]

/ hang / geeb

~t -t~

/ to do /

Armed robbery.

Oa geeb

tr -tab

[To rob]

To rob.

Oa geeb / ngan hong

tr ib -ik ~T

[To rob a bank]

To rob a bank; bank robbery.

58

=UND=ER=WO=R~L1=n~S=OC=I:.:::ET~I~ES=-=AND~-=S~TRE=ET~G=AN=G:.....;G=RO=UP=s! tl t ~ ~!f iA

~ ~{(.

*Ah gung

i. /~

[Grandfather]

The boss's boss.

Hang geeb

~r -it)

[To rob]

To rob someone.

Lo

t

lab t=/C

JL

To rob somebody.

Yab

hang geeb

~f ilJ

[Enter house to rob]

ook

~

Home invasion.

*Bai

~fi

[Set

ping

f .

(sornethlng)

To resolve a problem.

level]

*Bai

seung toi A c:z

To blame someone for a crime; to fault someone.

tl

[To place

or stage)

on a table

Bak Jee Seen White Paper Fan, a mid-level

1-. ~~ #-. position in the Triad hierarchy

~ ~-~ ~ responsible for negotiations and

conducting initiation ceremonies. Aka Sei Yat Ng (Four-One-Five) and See Ye (similar to a consigliere in traditional LeN).

Bong pai

~ $fK

A gang gro.~p or an organized crime group.

59

Cho Hai

f $1

[Straw sandals]

straw Sandals, aka Sei Sam Yee (see Sei Sam Yee).

Born to Kill

:K t~ ~

Name of a street gang group active in New York City Chinatown.

*Chaw goon

t. it

[To sit (at) the club]

Manager of a gang group but not the big boss.

*Chaw jing

1: j£.

[To sit straight]

To be the boss.

*Chut lei

~ -t

/ hang

~r

To make a living by engaging in illicit activities.

[To corne out / walk]

*Dai gaw dai

-k. -f k.

[Big. brother (is) big]

An underworld boss; a mobile telephone.

Dai Heun

-t... IfJ

[Big circle]

Big Circle: name of an organized crime group that originated from Canton, China.

{It is said that members of this. gang group enjoy smoking Lucky Strike cigarettes which has a big circle on their box.}·

Dai Heun jai

~ If] 1f

A member of the Dai Heun group. {See Dai Heun.}

60

Dei

tao

it

(Gang) Territory.

Dai 10

/:.-. 1~

[Big brother]

The boss (of a gang group); an elder brothei.

Dai / Luk / Yuen

"'-- J&-

[Big road

Soi

~ if

general]

Main Road General, the highest position in the Triad hierarchy; also known. as the Incense Chief (see Incense Chief).

*Dat

~-*

daw

~

To reveal one's identity.

[Ground head]

Flying Dragons

1l tt ~

Name of a street gang group active in New York City Chinatown. Two of its factions are the Pe11 Street and the Grand street Factions.

*Fook cheuk

it t

To revenge;

to do something again; encore.

Associate Incense Chief, the second highest position in the Triad organization. His responsibilities include managing internal affairs at various levels. Aka: Sei Sam Bat (Four-Three-Eight) and Yee Luk Yuen Seut (Secondary Road General) .

Heung Chu

t

Fuk Ching

fj, t

Name of a street gang group active in New York City Chinatown.

Gai tao

~tj ,I

bong pai

~ $flf-

Street gang (group).

61

Gwa Laam Dang Lung

~tt l t!'t it

[Hang blue lamp cage]

Hanging Blue Lantern, a member-tobe in the Triad society who has not yet been inducted into the organization.

. Ghost Shadows

\'l~ ~

Name of a street gang group active in New York city Chinatown.

Gong so

af~

[To talk (about) figures]

To resolve a problem through negotiations.

*Goo wak

I. ~

-... I\!:

[Tricky boy]

/ jai

if

A person who makes a living by engaging in illegal activities. A wiseguy.

Hak

bong

!t

Organized crime (group).

, ...

Hak

~

....

/ sieh

_fJ:.

wui

{f-

a society]

The underworld; an organized crime group.

[Black

*Hang

if

[Walk

goo wak

I .. ~

J6I- ,~",

tricky]

To engage in illegal activities.

Heung Chu

t i

[Incense chief]

Incense Chief, the highest position in the Triad hierarchy; other names for this position are:

Dai Luk Yuen seut (Main Road General) ,

Lung Tao Dai Gaw (Dragon Head Big Brother) ,

San Chu (Mountain Chief), and Sei Bat Gao (Four-Eight~Nine).

62

Hing dai

t ~

A fellow gang member; a brother.

Hip Sing Association

t/I) ~~ t

This is a Tong with nationwide. membership. It has been tied to underworld activities at various times in the past.

Hong Moon

~~ ~~

[Wide door]

Name of a secret society. See "Saam Haab Wui".

*Ja fit

tt ~

To g,ive orders;

to make decisions; to call the shots.

Jee ho

~Jt

{Used by gang groups to refer

Name of a business, company, or any organization (nbt exclusively an underworld term).

to the names of their groups.}

*Jeuk cho

~ :f.

[To wear straw (sandals)]

To be on the run; to be a fugitive.

Jeuk so

ttk

A good deal, an advantage.

*Jio

.&

".,

[To shine]

common expression meaning to

To protect, to take care of (someone or some establishment) .

{"Jio JlR " is probably an abbrevlcition for "Jio gu !'.ti

take care of. someone.}

" a

A fellow drug addict.

Lo tung

;t1iJ

[Old common]

63

Lung 10

~ .,~ ~l: ell

[fiole way]

A loophole;

an opportunity or a shortcut for accomplishing a task.

Dai Gaw

" i. ~

[Dragon head b~g brother]

Lung Tao

it il

Dragon Head Big Brother, aka Heung Chu (see Heung Chu).

Maa jai
.. if
.~
Maa lat 10
Jt+ If!, Itt
Ming wat
aJl ~ A lackey, an underling, a pawn.

A bastard, an SOB.

To take unfair advantage of someone in a blatant and bullying way.

Ng (Eng

1i-

soi Suey

t

San Association Sun)

..Lt

This is a Tong with nationwide

. membership and has been suspected to have ties with the underworld.

Ping On (aka Kung Cheng)

.f *" (/~ ;jE_)

Name of a street gang group active in Boston Chinatown in the 1980's .

Po ~Io.

~~

[To

tao

ill

float (one's) head]

To reappear as an active gang member after a period of

absence or inactivity. {Originally it refers to a fish that comes up for air after going underwater for a period of time.}

Saab Sei K

14 K: a branch of the Saam Haab Wui. See Saam Haab Wui, the Triad.

64

The Triad Society - the union of the Sun (or the Heavens), the Moon and the Earth.

{Name of the secret society formed in the Fukien Province in 1733 for revolting against the Ching Dynasty established by the Manchus, a

minority in China, and to revert the rule of China to the Ming Dynasty whose government the Manchus toppled and took over in 1644. Al though the Ching Dynasty was eventually overthrown in 1911 (not by the Triad), the Triad continued to exist and prosper but changed its mission to illegal and criminal activities. Particularly active in Hong Kong, it has developed many branches and has long spread to the US, Canada, Europe and Australia. These are the underworld and organized crime groups of China. orginally it was also known as Hong Moon (Red Door), a name which is still in use today. Ostensibly, members of the Hong Moon society would like the world to think that it is an honorable fraternal society. It has many chapters allover the world. There are known chapters in Boston and New York and other major us and Canadian cities.}

Saam Haab

,4-.

12

-

-

-

Wui

~

a

{14 was first used as the codeword

[Fourteen KJ of a particular branch of the Triad, because it was the street number of the headquarters of this branch in the city of Canton,

Guangdong, China. At times "Twin Seven or Double Seven" has also been used instead of 14. Some time in the history of this group, it reorganized, and the letter K (from karat) was later added to the codeword to signify a stronger organization.}

*Sa i dei

~t :t~

[To wash floors]

To close down an illegal establishment, e.g., a massage parlor or a gambling den, by the owner to wash the floors in anticipation of a police raid.

San Chu

"'"' :t

[Mountain chief]

Mountain Chief, aka Heung Chu (see Heung chu).

65

*Sao

dei

To collect protection fee (by gang members) in their own territory.

San Jai

Loose Boy, a general member of the Triad society at the lowest level. Aka Sei Gao Jai (Four-Nine Boy).

*Sao fung

~t e.

[To gather wind]

To gather, obtain or receive information.

*Sao leng

«-it

[To accept a young fellow]

To recruit a young person to join the underworld.

taw

,

rt

See yeh

iifJXf

An adviser or consultant similar to a consigliere in LCN.

Sei Bat Gao

l'!!J " +t..,

[Four eight nine]

Four-Eight-Nine, aka Heung Chu (see Heung chu) .

sei 'Gao Jai

Four-Nine Boy, a general member of the Triad at the lowest level. Sometimes also called a San Jai (loose boy; see San Jai)

Sei Saam Yee Four-Three-Two, the fourth highest
l1SJ - - position in the Triad hierarchy.
- -
- He is responsible for intelligence,
assistance and logist'ics. Aka
Straw Sandals (Cho Hai !I f! ).
Sei Yat Ng Four-One-Five, aka,Bak Ji Sin (see
t!9 - :Jz_ Bak Ji Sin S~(~ ). 66

-

-

Luk ..!-

~,

Four-Twa-Six t ak.~ Seung Guan ~see Seung Fa Hung

fifi fc. !:r.1 ~ ) .

~ "

Fa Hung Guan

sei

Yee

Seung Fa Hung Gwan

iili ~,.. Ii :to .j. ffI ~ ~~,., ,.~

Red Staff with Double Flowers,

the third highest position in the Triad hierarchy. CUstomarily known as the fighter, he is responsible for engaging in fights.' Aka Sei Yee Luk (Four-Three-Two).

*Sieh ju

'. tf 1£.

To pro~ect or take care of someone or an illegal business.

Soi

~

<Kui ge yan ho soi gee -

To be bad, nasty, mean; to get into trouble;

to be arrested or to be put in jail.

1£ fI'~ s: *f *- -It

He is a mean guy or he is a bad dude. <Soi been fan? or Soi mat yeh? -

-t i:I: j,t-f? * ~ -Jt?

What did he (you or they) get into trouble for?>

*Suen

A recruit's recruit.

Jt,

[Grandson]

Taw dei

Gang members on their own territory.

Tek yan yab wui To recruit somebody to join the
flS A.. »; t' underworld. .(Coersion and
#~ intimidation are implied. )
[Kick people into {Literally it means to kick
association] somebody into an underworld group. } 67

Tong (or Tong hao)

t (t (2)

[Hall] (Hall mouth)

The name of an organization, legal or otherwise, in the old days in China is called a "tong" or a "tong hao".

Tung On

*~

Name a street gang group active in New York city Chinatown.

White Tigers

f:1Jt1t1

Name of a street gang group in New York City Chinatown.

Yao liu

Ii -*t

[To have material]

To have a job (illegal) to do; To be competent.

68

IV. DlDlCES

A. CAJrl.'OJIESE 1M ROMAHIZATION

cantonese in Rcmanization Page
A Aap 56
Ah gung 59
B Bai ping 59
Bai seung toi 59
Bak fa an 51
Bak jee seen 59
Bak Ging 10
Bak Long See 11
Bak (jung) yan 2
Bak yoi 2
Bak yoi jung juk jee seung 2
Ban jao 53
Ban Jao 11
Ban jao jai 30
Bao dai wok 17
Bao heung hao 17
Bao sit 19
Bat da jee jio 20
Baw See Dun 11
Been ging cheun 10 duei 20
Been woo lut see 21
Beep baa 30
Beh jao 31
Bei go 21
Bei kui lao 21
Bo chuen 17
Bo Luk Loon 11
Bo mo 56
Bo sao hang wai 21
Bok yieh 53
Bong ga 19
Bong pai 59
Bong piu 19
Bong sui 47
Boon dei geung m lat 31
Boon gan bat leung 31
Born to Kill 60
C Chaan goon 31
Chai 10 21
Chai yan 21
Chan fuo da geeb 31
Chao 31
Chao faan 21
69 Cantonese in Ro.anization Page
C Chao yao yu 31
Chat 53
Chaw gaam 21
Chaw goon ·60
Chaw jing 60
Chee dei mo ngan saam baat leung 32
Chee hai hang geeb 58
Chee hai geeb fei 21
Chee seen 32
Cheen 47
Cheung 5
Cheung gei 56
Cheung hai 5
Cheung (yeh) 19
Chieh pei tiu 56
Chiu 32, 53
Cho hai 60
Chuen 32
Chuen jaan gei 32
Chuen jio chut ting ling 21
Chui hao kam 51, 53
Chui jeung 32
Chui sui 32
Chun doi 53
Chung gung 22
chung yeh 5
Chut kei 33
Chut lei hang 60
Chuun mao 2
D Da 5
Da geeb 58
Da geeb ngan hong 58
Da haw 8, 47
Da rna jeuk 8
Da pai 8
Da pai gao 8
Da sei 6
Da wok gam 6
Daa deen waa 33
Dag Jao 11
Dai bo 22
Dai dong 8
Dai gai chut ging 22
Dai gaw dai 33, 60
Dai Heun 60
Dai Heun jai 60
Dai jek gong 33
Dai 10 61
Dai Luk 11
70 cantonese in Roaanization Page
0 Dai luk mo 33
Dai Luk Yuen Soi 61
Dai maa 51
Dai pui sam tuen 22
dai sieh aw niu, Tai gin 44
Dai to 33
Dai yee lung 47
Dam ding 33
Dao nai 33
Oat daw 61
Daw Chieh See Da -11
Daw Lun Daw 11
Dei fong faat yuen 22
Dei tao 61
Deung dei 56
Diu 53
Diu kui 10 mo (chao hai) 53
(Ngaw) Diu nei la 54
Diu nei 10 mo (chao hai) 54
Do bok 8
Do bok goon 9
Do cheung 9
Do yao 51
Dong hao 9
Dui lam yan 50
Duk yan bui jek 17
Dung Ging 11
E
F Faa Kei 2
Faa lei 33
Faan 33
Faan duk 51
Faan faat 22
Faan hak fa at 22
Faan Heung C;;ong 34
(Faan) gwai 10 3, 35
Faan wan duk baan 52
Faan yan 22
Faat La Sing 12
Faat ting 22
Faat yuen 22
Fai Sing 11
Fei '6
Fei faat 23
Fei faat fan' mai gwan fuo 6
Fei faat hang wai 23
Fei hang see faa 23
Flying Dragons 61
71 cantonese in Roaanization Page
F Fong fei gei 34
Fong go (or gwai) lei (tai) 48
Fong sieh 23
Fong so 48
Fook cheuk 61
Fook Geen 12
Fook gei 34
Fu Heung Chu 61
Fujian(ese) 12
Fuk Ching 61
Fukien 12
Fung 17
G Ga chaang 6
Gaa chee bat deen 34
Gaa Jao 12
Gaa Naa Dai 12
Gaam cheung 9
Gaam fong 23
Gaam yuk 23
Gai 56
Gai dao 56
Gai tao bong pai 61
Gam baan 23
Gam sao jee 18
Gam yu 10 34
Gao ching 34
Gao jai 6
Gao m deem 34
Gaw sui 48
Geem cha goon 23
Geen liu 18
.Gei cheung 57
Gei nui 57
Gei yuen 57
Ghost Shadows 62
Gio cjai 35, 54, 57
Ging fong 23
Ging tsat 24
Go dang faat ting 24
Go dang faat yuen 24
Gong cho hao 3·5
Gong so 62
Goo wak jai 62
Gui yeh 48
Gung cheung 57
Gwa Laam Dang Lung . 62
Gwaa jaw 35
Gwai gung 57
Gwai 10 35
72 cantonese in ROIIaDization Page
G Gwai mui 3, 35
Gwai paw ( ) 3, 35
Gwai paw ( ) 57
Gwan fuo ,6
Gwangdong 12
Gwat liu 18
Gwat yao 35
Gwong dai waa 36
Gwong Dong 12
Gwong dong waa 36
H Haam ga chaan 54
Haam sab 10 36
Hab faat 24
Hai 54
Hak bong 62
Hak gaa 12, 36
Hak gwai 3, 36
.Hak sieh wui 62
Hak yan 3
Hak yoi 3
Hang geeb 59,
Hang goo wak '62
Hang kui 1
Hang see 24
Hang see so jung 24
Hao gung 24
Haw goon 9
Haw ka ying 52
Hei bo cheem to 24
Hei dai 18
Hei so 24
Heung Chu 62
Heung Gong 36
Hing dai 36, 63
Hip Sing Association 63
Hoi 10k ying 52
Hoi peen 7
Hoi pei
Hoi sam 36
Hoi wok 54
Hon Gwok 13
Hon yoi 3
Hong Jao 13
Hong go 24
Hong haak 25
Hong Moon 63
Hong sao 50
I
73 cantonese in Ro.anization Paqe
J Ja fit 63
Ja pa 36
Ja peen 20
Jab sang 37
Jai 37
Jai jai 48
Jak bo 37
Jao 37
Jao ging (guk) 25
Jat sai ma 7
Jee ho 63
Jee Gaa Gaw 13
Jee tao log mong 25
Jek chao 7
Jek so 37
Jeuk cho 63
Jeuk so 63
Jieh cheen 48
Jieh see waan wan 37
Jik bo 37
Jing goi 25
Jing ming 25
Jing yan 25
Jio 63
Jo chaan goon 37
Jo jam 18, 25
Jo kei toi 38
Jo sang yee 38
Jo so 48
Joi to 25
Juk sing (jai) 38
Juk sing (mui or nui) 38
Juk (yan) 25
Jung chung 38
Jung Gwok 13
Jung Gwok Sing 13
Jung jUk 4
Jung juk
Jung juk gag lei 4
Jung juk kei see 4
Jung sa an gaam gan 26
K Kab duk 52
Kao (kao) kei (kei) 38
Kei see 4
Kei toi 38
Keung gaan 54
Koi bo 26
Kui 38
Kui 10 1
74 cantonese in Roaanization Page
K Kui 10 ging fong 2.
Kwan See 13
L Lag sog 5
Lai chai 38
Lai Cyan) 26
Lan 54
Lan yeung 55
Lao gei (See ,Nao qei.)
Lao liu 18
Law Saang 13
Lit jao 39
Lo 39
Lo baan 39
Lo bo 57
Lo dim 18
Lo faan 4, 39
Lo goi 57
Lo jab 26
Lo jung 9
Lo lab 59
Lo luen 26
Lo mo ( ) 7
Lo mo ( ) 39
Lo pang 39
Lo sai 39
Lo tung 63
Loon dai mai 55
Luen bong 26
Luen bong diu cha guk 26
Luen bong jab faat dan wai 26
Luen bong tsab duk guk 27
Lug gao 55
Lui hei 18
Luitsee 27
Luk yee 27
Lung 10 64
Lung Tao Dai Gaw 64
M M da m seung sik 39
M ying joi 27
Ma jeuk 9
Maa jai 40, 64
Maa lat 10 40, 64
Maa Loi Sai Nga 13
Maa Saang 13
Mai hei 7
Mai yuk 27, 40
Mak Sai Gaw 14
Man Haa Dun 14
75 cantonese in ROJlallization Page
M Man Tit Ng 14
Mao sat 50
Maw Dun 14
Meh «ok ·40
Mei gwOk 14, 40
Mei Yan Jao 14
Meng on 27
Ming wat 64
Mio see faat ting 27
Moon Dei Haw 14
Muk gik jieh 27
Mut sao 27
N Naan tou faat mong 27
Nam Mei Jao 14
Nao gei 28
Nao Yeuk 14
Nei 40
Ng Soi San Association 64
Ng Yab 14, 40
Nga chat 40
Nga peen (yin) 52
Ngag yan 20, 41
Ngam cheung 57
Ngam hoi 50
Ngam sat 50
Ngam suen 50
Ngam yu 18
Ngan jee 49
Ngan hong ja peen 20
Ngao Dun 15
Ngao fong 9
Ngao Jao 15
Ngao yee jai 41
Ngaw 41
(Ngaw) diu nei la 54
0 Ook kei 41
P Pai gao 10
Pao 7
Pek yao 7
Ping On 64
Pio gei 58
Pio hak 58
Po tao 64
Pui sam tuen 28
Pui sam yuen 28
Puk gai 41
Q
76 cantonese in Ro.anization Page
R
S Saab Sei K 64
Saam bat jee 41
Saam Faan See 15
Saam Haab wui 65
sai 41
Sai dei 65
Sai hak cheen 49
Sai 10 41
Sai 10 qaw 41
sai poon woon 42
sai yan 3, 35
Sai yoi ·4
Sam 19
Sam po 42
San Chu 65
San jai 66
San Jao 15
Sang yee 42
Sao fung 66
Sao hoi jeh 28, 50
Sao hoi yan 28, 50
Sao 1eng 66
Sao peen 2
Sao so 49
Sao so 10 49
Sao taw dei 66
Sat yan 51
Sat yan hong sao 51
See 52
See dao 58
See tao 42
See tao paw 42
See yeh 66
Seen yan 28
Sei Bat Gao 66
Sei gao jai 66
Sei jeh 50
Sei ngan jai 42
Sei ngan 10 42
Sei ngan mui 42
Sei ngan paw 42
Sei Saam Yee ~6
Sei Yab 15, 43
Sei yan tao. 43
Sei Yat Ng 66
Sei Yee Luk 67
Seung dak san daw jung yu foo 43
Seung deen 52
77 cantonese in Raaanization Page
S Seung Fa Hong Gwan 67
Seung Hoi 15
Seung so 28
Seung so faat ting 28
Seung ting jo gung 28
Sieh ju 67
Sieh Low 15
Sieh tao 1
Sieh (wong) 43
Sing gao 55
Sing Jao 15
Sing so yo 28
Sit do 20
Siu so yan jung 4
So jung 29
Soi 67
Soon sao hin yeung 43
Su jaw 10
Su jung jee yao wong gaam ook 43
Suen 67
Suen man 29
Suen poon yao juei 29
Sui liu 43
Sung . . . hui sai teen 7
T Tai Gwok 16
Tai sieh aw niu 27
Tai cheung 10
Tai gin dai sieh aw niu 44
Tai 10 44
Tai pa 44
Tao 20
·Tao do 1
Tao lung juen fung 44
Taw dei 67
Teen .haa woo aa yat boon hak 44
Teen man toi 10, 19
Tek dao 29
Tek yan yab wui 67
Tit 8
Tiu ( 44, 55
Tiu nui 4·4
Toi Bak 16
Toisa(a)n 16, 45
Toi Waan 16
Tong (hao) 68
Tong long po seem wong cheuk joi hao ·45
Tong yan 45
Tong Yan Gai 16
Tsam 19
78 Cantonese in Rmaanization Page
T Tung On 68
U, V
If Waa Foo 16
Waa Sing Dun 16
Waa yoi 4
Waan cheen 49
Waan Gaw Waa 16
Wai faat 29
Wan 10 chan 20, 45
Wan ngaw ( ... ) baan tsat 45
Wat sieh 1
Wat yan 5
White Tigers 68
Wong do duk hak 46
Wong Hao Koi 16
Wong hei 29
.Wong jung yan 4
Woo jiu 52
Wu Naam 17
X
Y Yab ook hang geeb 59
Yam ging 55
Yam jao 46
Yam jui jaw 46
Yan do 29
Yan jung kei see 5
Yan sieh 1
Yao 1iu 68
Yat Boon 17
Yat ho 49
Yat man 49
Yat man sa am bat jee 46
Yat mong da juen 29
Yat pei 49
Yat yeh hoi pei 10
Yat yoi 5
Yee duk gung duk 46
Yee hei 46
Yee man guk 29
Yee ng jai 30
Yee nga waan nga 47
Yee saan see· fa at 30
Yee yat doi 10 47
Yeh cho siu bat juen,
chuen fund choi yao sang 47
79 cantonese in Rcmanization Page
y Yeung goi 56
Yeung jaw 19
Yim yee 30
Yim yee faan 30
Ying cheen 10
Ying jaw 10
Ying joi 30
Yu dan mui 58
Yuen gao kan gung 47
Yuen go 30
Yuet Naam 17
Yuk yan 8
Z 80

IV. INDICES

B. ENGLISH - CANTONESE

English - cantonese

A Abusing children, A man interested in sexually -

Gam yu 10 34 Accused, the - Bei go 21- Advantage - Jeuk so ~3 Adviser - See yeh 66

Afraid, not to be - Dam ding 33 Age, to be of - Gao ching 34 Alcohol - Jao 37

Alien smuggling - Wat sieh 1

All bad people in the world are equally bad. -

Teen haa woo aa yat boon hak 44 Aloof, to be - Chuen 32

America - Mei Gwok 14, 40

American - Faa Kei 2, Mei Gwok 14 American born Chinese (boy~ girl) -

Juk sing (jai, nui or mui) 38 Advantage - Jeuk so 63

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. -

Yee nga waan nga 47 Antenna, small - Ban jao jai 30

Anything will do - Kao (kao) kei (kei) 38 Appeal - Seung so 28

Armed robber - Chee hai geeb fei 21

Armed robbery - Chee hai da geeb (or hang geeb) 58 Arrest, to - Dai bo 22, Juk (yan) 25,

Koi bo 26~ Lai (yan) 26 Arrogant, to be ~ Chuen 32

Ask a person about something and he will tell you that there are actually three things that he doesn't know anything about. - Yat man saam bat jee 46

Assassin - Hong sao 50, Sat yan hong sao 51

Assassinate, to - Ngam sat 50

Associate Incense Chief ~ Fu Heung Chu 61 Association (gang) - Faan 33

At large, to be - Joi to 25

Attorney - Luit see 27

B Background, to find out someone's - Hei dai 18 Bad, to be - Soi 67

Ball somebody, to - Bok yieh 53 Bank fraud - Ngan hong ja peen 20

Bastard - Maa lat 10 40, 64, Sei yan tao 43

Be a dealer in a gambling den, to - Da haw 8, 47 Be the boss, to - Chaw jing 60

Beat up somebody, to - Da 5

81

English - cantonese

B Beeper - Beep baa 30 Beer - Beh jao 31

Befriend a distant state while attacking a neighbor -

Yuen gao kan gung 47 Beijing - Bak Ging 10

Big Circle - Dai Heun 60

Big Circle, member of - Dai Heun jai 60 Big mouth - Dai jek gwong 33

Bitch - Sei yan tao 43

Black person - Hak gwai 3, 36, Hak yan 3 Black race, the - Hak yoi 3

Blame someone for a crime, to - Bai seung toi 59 Boat people - Suen man 29

Border patrol unit - Been ging chuen 10 duei 20 Borrow money, to - Jieh cheen 48

Boss - Lo baan 39, Lo sai 39, See tao 42,

Dai 10 (of a gang group) 61 Boss, to be the - Chaw jing 60 Boss, underworld - Dai gaw dai 33 Boss's boss - Ah gung 59

Boston (Mass.) - Baw See Dun 11 Boy - Jai 37

Break the law, to - Faan faat 22 Bribe, to - Kui 10, hang kui 1 Bribery - Kui 10 1

Bribe the police, to - Kui 10 ging fong 2 Broad, A - Tiu nui 44

Brooklyn - Bo Luk Loon 11

Brothel - Gao dao (slang) 56, Gei yuen 57 Brothel, private - See dao 58

Brother - Hing dai 36, 63

Brother, elder - Dai 10 61

Brother, younger - Sai 10 41

Bronx, the - Bak Long See 11

Bullet - Fei 6

Burglarize - Bao sit 20

Business - Sang yee 42

ausiness, to be in - Jo sang yee 38

Business of giving high-interest loans, to be in the - Jo so 48

Businessman, to be a - Jo sang yee 38

C California - Gaa Jao 12

Call the shots, to - Ja fit 63 Canada - Gaa Naa Dai 12 Canadian - Gaa Naa Dai 12

Can't take care of the problem - Gao m deem 34

Canton Province - Gwangdong Sheng 12, Gwong Dong Saang 12 Cantonese - Gwangdong 12, Gwong Dong 12

Cantonese dialect - Gwong dong waa 36

82

English - cantonese

C Careful, to be - Tai 10 44, Tai pa 44 Casino - Do cheung 9

Cat is out of the bag, The - Yeung jaw 19 Caucasian man - (Faan) gwai 10 3, 35

Caucasian girl - Gwai mui 35 .

Caucasian people or person - Lo faan 4, 39 Caucasian woman - Gwai paw 35

Cheat people, to ~ Ngag yan 20, 41 Checkbook - Jak bok 37, Jik bo 37

Checking account - Jak bok 37, Jik bo 37 Chicago - Jee Gaa Gaw 13

Child, a small - Sai 10 gaw 41

Child sexual abuser - Gam yu 10 34

China - Jung Gwok 13

Chinatown - Jung Gwok Sing 13,

Tong Yan Gai 16 Chinese, the ethnic - Waa yoi 4 Chinese dominoes - Pai gao 10 Chinese person·- Tong yan 45

Cuts or chops up somebody with a knife, one who - Pek yao 7

Claim not to know the beginning, the middle and the end of a matter, to - Saam bat jee 41

Close down an illegal establishment· by the owner ... , to -

Sai dei 65

Cocaine - Haw ka ying 52 Cock - Lan 54, Lug gao 55

Cocky, to be - Ng chat (chat) 40 Code - Ngam yu 18

Codeword - Ngam yu 18

Collect payments on high-interest loans, to - Sao so 49 Collect protection fee ..• , to - Sao taw dei 66

Collector of payments on high-interest loans - Sao so 10 49 Commit murder and arson, to - Sat yan fong fuo 51 Competent, to be - Yao liu 68

Conceited, to be - Chuen 32

Confess without duress, to - Bat da jee jio 20 Confiscate, 'to - Chung gung 22, Mut sao 27 connecticut - Hong Jao 13

Consig1iere - See yeh 66

Consortium of Five Districts - Ng Yab 40 Corsortium of Four Districts - Sei Yab 43 Conspiracy - Chuun mao 2

contempt of court - Mio see faat ting 27 Contraband - Gam baan 23

Contract ki11ing·- Mai hei 7

convict - Chao faan 21, Faan yan 2Z. Convict, to - Sun poon yao joi 29 Cop - Chai 10 21, Chai yan 21

Court of appeals - Seung so fa at ting 28

83

English - cantonese

C Court of justice - Faat ting 22, Faat yuen 22 Courthouse - Faat ting 22, Faat yuen 22 Courtroom ~ Faat ting 22, Faat yuen 22

Covet gains ahead without being aware of dangers behind,

to - Tong long po seem wong cheuk joi hao 45 Crazy - Chee seen 32

Create trOUble, to - Jung chung 38

Crime does not pay - Naan tou fa at mong 27 Criminal - Hang see 24

Criminal prosecution - Hang see so jung 24 Croak, to - Lai chai 38

Croaked, to have - Gwaa jaw 35

Cuckold, to be a - Dai luk mo 33

Cunnilingus (slang for) - Chui hao kam 51, 53 Cunt - Hai 54

Custody, to be in - Bei kui lao 21

Cuts or chops up somebody with a knife, one who - Pek yao 7

D Damn! - Haam ga chaan! 54

Dare to violate the law, to - Yee saan see faat 30 Daughter-in-law - Sam po 42

DEA - Luen Bong Tsab Duk Guk 27 Deal, good - Jek so 37, Jeuk so 63

Dealer at a gambling den, (to be) - Da haw 8, 47, Haw goon 9 Debtor - Jai jai 48

Deceased - Sei jeh 51

Declare guilty, to - Suen poon yao joi 29 Decriminalize - Fei hang see faa 23 Defendant - Bei go 21

Defense lawyer - Been-wu 1ut see 21 Defy the law, t6 - Yee saan see fa at 30

. Deport, to - Dai gai chut ging 22 Detained, to be - Bei kui lao 21 Die, to (slang) - Lai chai 38

Diminutive suffix for a noun to denote smallness, youth or

-familiarity - Jai 37 Dirty old man - Haam sab 10 36 Discrimination - Rei see 4

District court - Dei fong faat yuen 22 Dishwasher (person) - Sai poon woon 42 Do a good job, to - Jab sang 37

Don't move! - Mai yuk! 40

Dorchester - Daw Chieh See Da 11

Doublecross someone, to - Duk yan bui jek 17 Dragon Head Big Brother - Lung Tao Dai Gaw 64 Drink (alcohol), to - Yam jao 46

Drop dead! - Puk gai 41

Drug addict - Do yao 51

84

EncJlisb - cantonese

D Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA -

Luen Bong Tsab Duk Guk 27

Drug trafficking - Faan duk 51, Faan wan duk baan 52 Drunk, to be - Yam jui jaw 46

E Elder brother - Dai 10 61

Engage in illegal activities, to - Hang goo wak 62 Encore - Fook cheuk 61

Ethnic

Europe - Ngao Jao 15 Evidence - Jing goi 25 Exposed - Yeung jaw 19 Extort, to - Lag sog 5

- Wat yan 5 Extortion - Lag sog 5 Extradite, to - Yan do 29 Eyewitness - Muk gik jieh 27

F .Fall guy, to be a - Meh wok 40 False information - Lao liu 18

Fault someone, to - Bai seung toi 59 Fax machine - Chuen jaan gei 32

FBI - Luen Bong Diu Cha Guk 26

Feds, the - Lo luen 26, Luen bong 26

Federal Bureau of Investigation - Luen Bong Diu Cha Guk 26 Federal law-inforcement unit - Luen bong jab faat dan wai 26 Fellow - Lo 39

Fellow drug addict - Do yao 51, Lo tung 63 Fellow gang member - Hing dai 36, 63 Female prostitute - Deung dei (slang) 56,

Gwai paw (slang) 57, Gei nui (formal) 57

Fight evil with evil, to - Yee duk gung duk 46 Fight fire with fire, to - Yee duk gung duk 46 Fights - Da gao 5

Fights, Weapons and Firearms 5

Find out someone's background, to - Hei dai 18 Fire somebody from his job, to - Chao yao yu 31 Firearms - Cheung hai 5, Gwan fuo 6, Pao 7

Five Districts, consortium of - Ng Yab 14, 40 Fix bya drug addict, to take a - Seung deen 52 Flatfoot - Luk yee 27

Flushing (New Yor) - Faat La Sing 12

Fool, to take someone for a - Lo dim 18, Wan 10 chan 20, 45 Foreign devil - (Faan) gwai 10 3, 35

Fool people~ to - Ngag yan 20, 41

Four Districts, consortium of - Sei Yab 15, 43 Four-Eight-Nine - Sei' Bat gao 66

Four-Nine Boy - Sei Gao Jai 66

Four-One-Five - Sei Yat Ng 66

85

English - cantonese

F Four-Three-Two - sei Saam Yee 66 Four-Two-Six - Sei Yee Luk 67 Fourteen K - Saab Sei K 64

Fraud - Ja peen 20

Freeze! - Mai yuki 27, 40 Friends, old - Lo pang 39 Friends, to be - Ja pa 36

Fuck - Chiu (euphemism) 32, 53, Dfu 53,

Tiu (euphemism) 44, 55, Bok yieh 53

Fuck his (your) mother! - Diu kui (nei) 10 mo 53, (54) Fuck you! - (Ngaw) Diu nei la! 54

Fucking - Lan 54

Fucking shithead - Lan yeung 55 Fugitive, to be a - Jeuk cho 63 Fujian - Fook Geen 12

Fujianese - Fook Geen 12

Fukien Province - Fook Geen 12 Fukienese - Fook Geen 12

Fussy, no need to be - Kao (kao) kei (kei) 38

G Gamble - Do bok 8 Gambling - Do bok 8

Gambling den - Dai dong 8, Do bok goon 9, Do cheung 9,

Dong hao 9, Ngao fong (Toisan expression) 9 Gang group - Bong pai 59

Gang members on their own territory - Taw dei 67 Gang rape - Loon dai mai 55

Gather information, to - Gwat liu 18, Sao fung 66 Geographical names - Dei lei ming ching 10

Get into trouble, to - Soi 67

Girl - Tiu nui 44

Give information to law'enforcement, to - Bo chuen 17 Give orders, to - Ja fit 63

Give somebody a sound beating, to - Da wok gam 6 Glasses, girl who wears - Sei ngan mui 26

Glasses, male who wears - Sei ngan jai 42, Sei ngan 10 42 Glasses, woman who wears - Sei ngan paw 42

Go and drop dead! - Puk gail 41

Go back to Hong Kong, to - Faan Heung Gong 34 Good mood, to be in a - Hoi sam 36

Good deal - Jek so 37, Jeuk so 63

Good information - Geen liu 18

Good job, to do a - Jab sang 37

Good material - Geen liu 18

Good person - Geen liu 18

Grand jury - Dai pui aam t.uen 22

Grass is greener on the other s'ide of the fence, the - 'Boon dei geung m'lat 31

Gratuity ~ Faa lei 33

Group (gang) - Faan 33

86

English - Cantonese

G Guard an illegal gambling den, to - Tai cheung 10 Guard at an illegal establishment - Gaam cheung 9 Gun - Cheung 5

GUy - Lo 39

Gyp people, to - Wan 10 chan 20, 45

H Hakka - Hak Gaa 12, 36 Handgun - Tit 8

Hanging Blue Lantern - Gwa Laam Dang Lung 62 Hard liquor - Lit jao 39

Have sex, to - Bok yieh 53, Hoi wok 54 He - Kui 38

Heavy firearms - Chung yeh 5 Her - Kui 38

Heroin - Hoi 10k ying 52, Woo jiu 52

High-interest loans, to be in the business of giving -

Jo so 48

High-interest loans, to give - Fong go lei 48, Fong so 48 Him - Kui 38

Hit, to - Da 5

Horne - Ook kei 41

Horne invasion - Yab ook hang geeb 59 Homicide - Meng on 27

Hong Kong - Heung Gong 36

Hong Moon - Hong Moon 63

House - Ook kei 41

House of prostitution - Gei yuen (formal) 57 Hunan (Province) - Wu Naam 17

I I - Ngaw 41

Identity, to reveal - Oat daw 61 Illegal - Fei fa at 23, Wai fa at 29 Illegal activity - Fei faat hang wai 23

Illegal activities, to engage in - Hang goo wak 62 Illegal gambing den - Ngao fong 9

Illegal sale of firearms - Fei faat / fan mai gwan fu06 Immigration and Naturalization Service - Yee Man Guk 29 Incense Chief - Heung Chu 62

Indict, to - Hei so 24, Hong go 24

Inferior, to be - Dao nai 33

Inferior quality, to be of - Dao nai 33 Informant - Seen yan 28, Yee ng jai 30 Informant, to be an - Jo jam 18, 25 Information - Fung 17

Information, to gather, obtain.or receive - Sao fung 66 Inhale drugs, to - Kab duk 52

INS - Yee Man Guk 29

Intelligence - Fung 17

Intimidate, to - Hong haak 25

It - Kui 38

87

English - cantonese

J Jail, to go to - Chaw gaam 21 Jailer - Nao (or Lao) gei 28 Japan - Yat Boon 17

Japan~se - Yat Boon 17

Japanese, the ethnic - Yat yoi'5 Job to do, to have a - Yao liu 68 Jump bail, to - Hei bo cheem to 24. Juror - Pui sam yuen 28

Jury - Pui sam tuen 28

K Kidnap, to - Bong ga 19, Bong piu 19 Kidnapping - Bong ga 19, Bong piu 19 Kidnapping victim - Sam or tsam 19

Kick the man while he is down - Chan fuo da geeb 31 Kill, to - Da sei 6, dui lam yan 50

Sung ... hui sai teen 7

Killer - Hong sao 50, Sat yan'hong sao 51 Kilo - See 52

Korea - Hon Gwok 13

Korean, the ethnic - Hon yoi 3

L Lackey - Maa jai 40, 64 Large, to be at - Joi to 25 Larceny - Sit do 20

Law, to break the - Faan faat 22 Lawsuit - So jung 29

Lawyer - Luit see 27

Lazy, to be - Sieh (wong) 43 Legal - Hab faat 24

Lend money, to - Jieh cheen 48

Licensed prostitute - Gung cheung (formal) 57 Lie, to - Gwong dai waa 36, Lo dim 18,

Life imprisonment - Jung saan gaam gan 26 Liquor - Jao 37

Litigation - So jung 29

Live at, to - Sai 41

Loan money, to - Jieh cheen 48

Loansharking - Dai yee lung 47, Fong go lei 48 Loansharking business, to be in the - Jo so 48

Long arms of the law, it is difficult to get away from the - Naan tou faat mong 27

Look after, to - Jio, Jio goo 63

Look for someone for revenge, to - Gwat yao 35,

Fook cheuk 61 Lookout for an illegal operation - Teen man toi 10, 19 Loophole - Lung 10 64

Loose, to be on the - Joi to 25 Loose Boy - San jai66 .

Loot a burning house - Chan fuo da geeb 31 Los Angeles - Law Saang 13

88

Englisb - cantonese

L Lost money, to have - Su jaw 10 Loyalty - Lui hei 18

Loyalty to friends - Yee hei 46

M Madam - Bo mo 56 Mahjong - Ma jeuk 9

Main Road General Dai Luk Yuen Soi 61 Maine - Mei Yan Chao 14

Mainland (China) - Dai Luk 11

Make decisions, to - Ja fit 63

Make a living by engaging in illicit activities, to - Chut lei hang 60

Make a phone call, to - Daa de en waa 33

Makes a living by engaging in illicit activities, one who -

Goo wak jai 62

Malaysia(n) - Maa Loi Sai Nga 13 Malden (Mass.) - Maw Dun 14

Male prostitute (Nickname for) - Aap 56

Man interested in sexually ab~sing children, A -

Gam yu 10 34

Man who wears glasses, Nickname for - Sei ngan 10 42 Manager of a gambling den - Lo jung 9

Manager of a gang group but not the big boss - Chaw goon 60 Manhattan - Maan Haa Dun 14,

Man Tit Ng 14 Marijuana - Dai maa 51 Massachusetts - Maa Saang 13 Me - Ngaw 41

Mean, to be - Chuen 32, Soi 67

Method of using heroin in Hong Kong by placing it in a

match box and inhaling it, A - Chui hao kam 51 Mexico - Mak Sai Gaw 14 .

Minor Matter - Sui liu 43

Minority (race) - Siu so yan jung 4

Miss an appointment, to - Fong fei gei 34 Mobile telephone - Dai gaw dai 33, 60 Money - Cheen 47, ngan jee 49

Money laundering - Sai hak cheen 49

Money paid as an apology or bribe - Lo mo 7 Montreal (Canada) - Mun Dei Haw 14

Mother - Lo mo 39

Mountain Chief - San Chu 65 Murder - Mao sat 50

Murder, to - Mao sat 50, Ngam hoi 50, Ngam sat 50 Murder and arson, to commit Sat yan fong fuo 51 Murderer - Hong sao 50, Sat yan ho~g sao 51

N Name ·of a business - Jee ho 63 Nasty, to be - Chuen 32, Soi 67

Need to be fussy, No - Kao (kao) kei (kei) 38

89

EncJlisb - cantonese

N New disguise, to revive under a - Jieh see waan wan 37 New Jersey - San Jao 15

New York -Nao Yeuk 14

News - Fung 17

Newton (Mass.) - Ngao Dun 15

No discord, no concord - M da m seung sik 39

No mutual blows, no friendship grows - M da m seung sik 39 No need to be fussy - Kao (kao) Rei (kei) 38

Not to worry - Dam ding 33

Not to be afraid - Dam ding 33

Not working out, things are - Gao m deem 34

o Obscene language, to use - Gong cho hao 35 Obtain information, to - Sao fung 66

Old - Lo 39

Old friends - Lo pang ~9 Old lady - Lo mo 39

On the loose, to be - Joi to 25

One question, three don't knows - Yat man saam bat jee 46 One who wears glasses, Nickname for - Sei ngan jai 42

One who washes dishes in a restaurant - Sai poon woon 42 Open for (gambling) business day and night -

Yat yeh hoi pei 10

Operator of a gambling den - Lo jung 9 opium - Nga peen 52

opportunity or a shortcut for accomplishing a task, An - Lung 10 64

One-on-one style of fighting - Jek chao 7 organized crime group - Bong pai 59, Hak bong 62, Hak sieh wui 62

P Patron of a brothel -Pio hak 58

.Patronize a prostitute, to - Gio gai (slang) 35, 54, 57, Pio gei (formal) 58

Pawn, a - Maa jai 40, 64

Pawn valuables, to - Gui yeh 48

Pay back (money) a loan - Waan cheen 49 Pay money, to - Bong sui 47, Gaw sui 48 Pay up, to - Bong sui 47, Gaw sui 48 Peiping - Bak Ging 10

Peking - Bak Ging 10

Penis (slang for) - Ban jao, Chat, chun doi 53~ Lan 54,

Sai 10 41, Lug gao 55 Penis (formal) - Yam ging 55, Yeung goi 56 Pennsylvania - Ban Jao 11

Person - Jai 37

Person engaged in the loansharking business,A -

Dai yee lung 47 .

Person who makes a living by engaging in illegal activities - Goo wak jai 62

90

English - cantonese

P Philadelphia - Fai Sing 11

Phone call, to make a - Oaa deen·waa 33 Pimp - Chieh pei tiu 56, Gwai gung 57 Pissed off, to be - Chui jeung 32 Plainclothesman - Lo jab 26

Plaintiff - Yuen go 30

Play a "card" game, to - Oa pai 8

Play a game of Chinese dominoes - Oa pai gao 8

Play dumb while remaining smart, to - Gaa chee bat deen 34 Play mahjong, to - Oa ma jeuk 8

Plead guilty, to - Ying joi 30

Plead not guilty, to - M ying joi 27 Plot against, to - Ngam suen 50 ..

Police - Ging fong 23, Ging tsat 24, Luk yee 27, Tit 8,

Wong hei 29

Policeman - Ging tsat 24, Luk yee 27 Poor quality, to be of - Oao nai 33 Pregnant, to be - Oai to 33

'Prison - Gaam fong 23, Gaam yuk 23 Prison guard - Nao (or Lao) gei 28 Prisoner - Chao faan 21, Faan yan 22 Private brothel - See dao 58

Probation, to be on - Bo sao hang wai 21 Proof - Jing goi 25

Proprietor - Lo baan 39, Lo sai 39, See tao 42 Prosecute, to - Hei so 24, Hong go 24 Prosecutor - Geem cha goon 23

Prostitute, female - Oeung dei (slang) 56,

Gei nui (formal) 57, (slang) Gwai paw, Lo bo, Lo goi 57, Yu dan mui (slang) 58

Prostitute, male - Aap 56

Prostitute, licensed - Gung cheung (formal) 57

unlicensed - Ngam cheung (formal) 57 Prostitution - Cheung gei 56, Gei cheung 57 Prostitution, house of -~ei yuen (formal) 57

Prostitution, pornography, gambling, narcotics and organized crime - Wong do duk hak 46

Protect, to - Jio 63, Sieh ju 67

prove, to - Jing ming 25 .

Q Queens (New York) - Wong Hao Koi 16 Quincy (Mass.) - Kwan See 13

R Race - Jung.juk 4 Racial - Jung juk 4

Racial discrimination - Jung juk kei see 4, Yan jung kei see 5 Racial segration - Jung juk gag lei 4

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