Canto Plus

The Altitude, Happy Valley, Hong Kong - 紀雲峰

2019-10-25T08:28:00.001+08:00

The Altitude is a luxury residential building located at 20 Shan Kwong Road, Happy Valley, Hong Kong. What are the traditional Chinese characters for The Altitude and how to pronounce them in Cantonese?

紀雲峰/gei wan fung: The Altitude

where;

紀/gei: epoch, period, age
雲/wan: cloud
峰/fung: peak, summit,

Golden Pillow Durian Puff Pastry 金枕榴蓮酥

2019-10-24T20:43:00.000+08:00

The pungent aroma of durian wafts over our table while we were having dim sum at Lei Garden in Shenzhen today. When I mentioned that I am a durian fan, our dining companion ordered some immediately.

A few minutes later a plate of beautifully presented pastries arrived. They looked like mini lanterns to me and were a lovely shade of golden brown after having been deep fried.

What are these beauties called in Cantonese;

金枕榴蓮酥 / gam zam lau lin sou: golden pillow durian puff pastry

where;

金 / gam: golden
枕 / zam: pillow
榴蓮 / lau lin: durian
酥 / sou: puff pastry

MacLehose Trail / 麥理浩徑

2019-10-22T07:39:00.001+08:00

I see the MacLehose trail is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. What are the traditional Chinese characters for the MacLehose trail and how to pronounce them in Cantonese?

麥理浩徑: mak lei hou ging/ MacLehose Trail

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murray_MacLehose,_Baron_MacLehose_of_Beoch

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacLehose_Trail

Lan Fong Road 蘭芳道

2019-08-19T16:53:00.001+08:00

Lan Fong Road, in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, is where the number 30 Minibus to Happy Valley departs and arrives. What are the traditional Chinese Characters for Lan Fong Road and how to pronounce them in Cantonese;

蘭芳道 / Lan Fong Dou: Lan Fong Road

where:

蘭/ lan: orchid; elegant

芳/ fong: fragrant; aromatic

道/ dou: road; street

Penang / 檳城

2019-08-18T10:10:00.002+08:00

There seem to be an awful lot of advertisements for Malaysian property in the local Hong Kong newspapers these days. Perhaps they are sensing an opportunity in the unrest? I spot a pair of unfamiliar traditional Chinese characters in one of the ads: they turn out to be the name for Penang. What are the traditional Chinese characters for Penang and how to pronounce them in Cantonese?

檳城 / barn seng: Penang
where;
檳 / barn: betel nut
城 / seng: city

Apliu Street 鴨寮街

2019-08-18T10:09:00.000+08:00

I've been buying electronic & computer components in Apliu Street ever since I arrived in Hong Kong in the early nineties. I never understood what the name - Apliu - referred to until the other night when my wife explained it to me: duck hut / shack. What are the traditional Chinese characters for Apliu Street and how to pronounce them in Cantonese?

鴨寮街 / aap liu gaai: Apliu Street

where;

鴨 / aap: duck
寮 / liu: hut / shack
街 / gaai: street

Happy Birthday in Cantonese / 生日快樂

2019-07-31T09:01:00.000+08:00

How to wish someone a happy birthday in Cantonese Chinese? Try this;

生日快樂 / saang yat fai lok: happy birthday

where;

生日 / saang yat: birth day

快樂 / fai lok: best wishes

Razor Clams / 蟶子皇

2019-07-25T09:48:00.000+08:00

I've eaten plenty of these delicious morsels over the years but could never work out their Cantonese name or where they come from. I might have nailed both after spotting this on a menu recently. What are the traditional Chinese characters for razor clams?

蟶子皇 / sing gee wong: razor clam

going by the picture above, it looks like they come from Scotland.

蘇格蘭 / so gaak laan: Scotland

Macau: Camoes Gardens / 白鴿巢公園

2019-07-24T23:16:00.000+08:00

Camoes garden is a lovely secluded spot in the very crowded city that is Macau. The protestant chapel and cemetery and attached to the side of the gardens. Getting to the gardens in a taxi might be tricky if give directions in English. You might be luckier if you can ask in Cantonese. So, what are the traditional Chinese characters for Camoes Gardens and how to pronounce them:

白鴿巢公園 / buck garp chow gung yoon: Camoes Gardens

where;
白鴿 / buck garp: white pigeon/dove
巢 / chow: nest
公園 / gung yoon: public park

Birdie Travel Sim / 自由鳥

2019-07-24T21:11:00.000+08:00

I picked up a Birdie Travel sim last year and have used it a couple of times. Once on a 7 day trip in Thailand and recently on a weekend trip to Macau. Works great and good value at HK$15 (US$2) per day. Looking forward to testing it out on my next trip into China. Looks like you can only buy it in Hong Kong.

https://www.birdie.com.hk/birdiehome/en/

What are the traditional Chinese characters for Birdie and how to pronounce them in Cantonese?

自由鳥 /gee yow neil: free bird

where;

自由 / gee yow: free; unrestrained

鳥 / neil: bird

Boris Johnson in Chinese Characters / 約翰遜

2019-07-24T17:10:00.002+08:00

I spot Boris Johnson's photo in a local Hong Kong newspaper today (Headline Daily, 24/07/2019). How does his name translate into traditional Chinese characters and how to pronounce these in Cantonese?

約翰遜 / yoek hon seon: Johnson

Bat in Cantonese Chinese / 蝠鼠

2019-07-23T20:39:00.000+08:00

I notice that there are pictures of bats on most of our porcelain. My wife patiently explains to me that the traditional Chinese character for bat (蝠) sounds the same as the traditional Chinese character for fortune, luck and happiness (福). Aha, that would expain it!

蝠鼠 / fuk syu: bat

and;

福 / fuk: fortune; luck; happiness

Isle of Wight in Chinese - 懷特島

2019-07-23T19:31:00.002+08:00

What are the traditional Chinese characters for the Isle of Wight and how to pronounce them;

懷特島/why duck dough : Isle of Wight

Bordeaux in Chinese - 波爾多

2019-07-23T19:29:00.000+08:00

What are the traditional Chinese characters for Bordeaux and how to pronounce them in Cantonese?

波爾多/bore gee door: Bordeaux

Le Village, Happy Valley, Hong Kong - 駿愉居

2018-04-22T09:48:00.000+08:00

Le Village is a handsome looking building located at 49 Sing Woo Road in Happy Valley, Hong Kong. What are the traditional Chinese characters for Le Village and how to pronounce them in Cantonese;

駿愉居/zeon jyu goy: Le Village apartments

where;

駿/zeon: fine or tall
愉/jyu: happy; joyful
居/goy: residence

Wyndham Street, Hong Kong in Chinese - 雲咸街

2018-03-01T10:36:00.000+08:00

Wikipedia lists the Chinese characters for Wyndham Street but doesn't give us any idea on how to pronounce the characters in Cantonese. Cantodict lists the Jyutping romanisation but this is not always that easy to follow.

So what are the Traditional Chinese characters for Wyndham Street and how would I pronounce them in Cantonese?

雲咸街/one hum guy: Wyndham Street

The Twins, Wilson Trail, Section 1, Hong Kong - 孖崗山

2018-02-26T05:00:00.000+08:00

The twins have a bit of a reputation as being a ball buster in local hiking circles. What are the traditional Chinese Characters for The Twins and how to pronounce them in Cantonese?

孖崗山/maa gong sarn: twins ridge mountain

where;
孖/maa: twins
崗/gong: sentry; ridge
山/sarn: mountain

Shan Kwong Tower, Happy Valley, Hong Kong 山光苑

2018-02-22T20:30:00.001+08:00

That guy sitting behind the entrance gate in the photo doesn't look too happy being photographed! Anyway, what are the traditional Chinese characters and how to pronounce them in Cantonese?

山光苑/sarn gwong yoon: Shan Kwong Tower

where;
山/sarn: mountain
光/gwong: bright; shining;
苑/yoon: housing court

Shan Kwong Tower,
22 Shan Kwong Road,
Happy Valley,
Hong Kong

Note: Entrance is opposite the entrance gate to the Jewish Cemetery; slightly uphill from the Fusion Supermarket

Cymbidium Orchid Chinese Characters

2018-02-15T01:27:00.000+08:00

My wife gets really excited when she finds a lovely golden cymbidium orchard at the Victoria Park flower market for just HK$288. This is about a third of the retail shop price. I ask the salesgirl what is the Cantonese name for these and she tells me "wai larn". I see the traditional Chinese characters on the wrapping and need to learn them;

蕙蘭/wai larn: cymbidium orchid

Raspberry Pi in Cantonese Chinese

2018-02-04T11:40:00.004+08:00

The rear panel of the box my Raspberry Pi 3 Model B computer came in has some Chinese characters included. Is it a straight translation or does it have another name? Lets find out;

樹莓派 / syu moy pie : Raspberry Pi

樹莓 / syu moy: raspberry (edible berry)

派 / pie: function, group, style

So it looks like it is a direct literal translation. But the third character is just a sound loan: not using its Chinese meaning.

www.element14.com/raspberrypi

Snail in Cantonese Chinese

2017-11-17T11:05:00.002+08:00

I seemed to have gotten over any food squeamishness in China: I now just eat what is put in front of me. On a recent trip to rural Guangdong we are taken to a hillside cafe for an after dinner snack. This plate of snails in a chilli and peanut sauce arrives and I realise I dont know what the Chinese word for snails is. Here goes;

田螺/tin law: snail

where;

田/tin: field

螺/law: spiral shell

The snails turned out to be pretty good. Quite meaty and the sauce was delicious.

Ventria Residence, Happy Valley, Hong Kong

2017-11-13T12:10:00.000+08:00

I see the fancy hoarding has gone up on the construction site that is 17A & 17B Ventris Road in Happy Valley, Hong Kong.

The name had been decided: Ventria Residence. The traditional Chinese characters have also been chosen and are placed under the English name on the sign. What do these characters mean and how to pronounce them in Cantonese?

曦蕓居/hay wan goy

曦/hay: sunlight

蕓/wan: cloud?

居/goy: residence

Gold Coast Australia in Chinese

2017-09-17T01:54:00.000+08:00

I spotted an advertisement marketing The Star Residences Gold Coast (Australia) in The Headline Daily (Hong Kong, 9/9/2017). The residential tower will be built next to the casino that used to be called Jupiters and is now The Star. Apartments next to a casino must be very attractive to Chinese buyers!

What are the traditional Chinese characters for the Gold Coast (Australia) and how to pronounce them in Cantonese?

黃金海岸/ wong gum hoy on: Gold Coast

where;

黃金/wong gum: golden

海岸/hoy on: sea shore

The Park Lane Hotel Hong Kong in Chinese

2017-09-10T15:08:00.001+08:00

I head over to The park Lane hotel in Causeway Bay to meet a friend for coffee. I see the lobby has been recently renovated and a fancy coffee shop has been installed. Ebb & Flow is a nice place to sit and watch the world go by but a tad expensive.

What are the traditional Chinese characters for The Park Lane Hotel and how to pronounce them in Cantonese?

柏寧酒店/ park neng jow deem: Park Lane Hotel

The Park Lane Hong Kong, A Pullman Hotel
310 Gloucester Road,
Causeway Bay,
Hong Kong

https://www.parklane.com.hk/index.html

Adelaide Australia in Chinese

2017-09-09T15:23:00.000+08:00

I see Ray White Hong Kong are marketing a high-rise apartment building in Adelaide, Australia (Headline Daily, 9/9/2017). The picture of the Realm building looks like a flattened out durian to me. I'm very surprised planners went for such a modern design in such a historical city. Must be a new wave of development on the way? Set to be completed in 2020, I guess they need investors pledging money to get it built. So, what are the traditional Chinese characters for Adelaide and how to pronounce them in Cantonese?

啊特萊特/ ar duck loy duck: Adelaide