Common Cuss words in Cantonese Language Movies.

[sonnychibaidol]

Dear Friends,

This is for those who are trying to learn Cantonese from those Hong Kong movies. In Hong Kong movies, the actual word for "Fuck" in Cantonese is not used and is actually forbidden from usage on cinema unless the film is meant to receive a Category III rating. At any rate, here are some of the most common words you will hear in Cantonese language movies from Hong Kong.

Puk Kai 仆街- (Literal meaning)- Fall on the street!
-(Applied meaning)- A generic Cantonese swear word for anything and everything bad or undesirable, whether people or situations that occur. It often is used in the following ways:
1. To express annoyance at someone who has offended you or is an undesirable, unpleasant person. In that case, the term could be then translated: "Bastard", "Prick", "Son of a bitch", "Asshole", "Dickhead", "Shithead".
2. To express annoyance at a situation that has gone wrong. eg. your car gets hit in an accident or you have some unexpected, undesirable situation. In that case, the term can best be translated: "Shit!", "Bloody hell!"
3. To express an economic situation that has gone badly for a person. In this case, you are saying: "You're in the gutter."
4. To express violence (as occurs in action films). In this case, it is saying: "Go to hell!" and even "Upyours!"

Hum Ka Chaan 咸(冚) 家鏟-(Literal Meaning)- Death to your whole family! May your whole family be buried!
-(Applied meanings) -This is much more extreme than Puk Kai, but has the same level of application in all the above situations. However, since this is stronger in meaning, it has a stronger emphasis. It can be translated in the following ways to show the strength of its meaning: "Motherfucker!", "Fucking bastard!", "Fucking Asshole!", "Fucking Prick!", "Fucking Dickhead!". Like Puk Kai, it can also be used to express dismay and annoyance over an unexpected and unpleasant situation. Therefore, it can also be translated: "Fucking hell!", "Shit!".

NOTE: Sometimes in Hong Kong films, there is a tendency to use the 2 phrases together, which would then translate as: "You motherfucking asshole!", "You fucking bastard!" and any extreme swearing phrase in English.

Hum Ka Foo Gwai 咸(冚) 家富貴-(Literal meaning)- Curse your whole family and wealth! Damnation on your whole household!
-(Applied meaning) It has exactly the same meanings as Hum Ka Chaan and the same levels of application. Therefore it could be used to call someone a "fucking bastard!", "fucking asshole!" and even "Fucking hell! Shit!"

Puk Lei Ge Kai 仆你個街- (Literal Meaning)- Fall on your street!
-(Applied Meaning)- A variation of Puk Kai and is usually used in the context of saying: "Upyours!", "Up your ass!", "Go stick it up your ass!"

Puk Lei Chow Kai 仆你臭街-(Literal meaning)- Fall on your smelly street!
-(Applied Meaning)- A variation of the above, but with the word "smelly" added to it. Thus can be translated as: "Up your fucking ass!", "Stick it up your fucking ass!"

Say Puk Kai 死仆街-(Literal meaning)- Fall on your street and die!
-(Applied meaning)-A variation of Puk Kai with more emphasis, thus can also be translated: "Fucking bastard!", "Fucking asshole!", "Fucking shithead!"

Sek Si 食屎-Eat Shit!
Sek Si Gow 食屎狗- (Literal meaning) Shit eating dog!
-(Applied meaning) Shithead! Ass-licker/Ass-kisser!
Ding Lei Ge Fai 頂你個肺-(Literal Meaning)- Hit/Push your lungs!
-(Applied Meanings)- Since Hong Kong Cinema Censorship forbids films lower than Category III from using the F word, this is one of the substitute words used. It is used in the same context as saying "Fuck you!" in some situations, and in other situations: "I'm gonna kick your ass!".

Kui Low Mo 佢老母-(Literal Meaning)- His Mother!
-(Applied meaning)- It is the equivalent of the Mandarin expression "Ta Ma De!" 他媽的!. It is used also to either insult someone, hence it would then be: "Up his ass!", or as an expression of annoyance at a situation or person: "Shit!", "Goddamnit!".

Lei Lo Mo 你老母-(Literal Meaning)-Your Mother!
-(Applied Meaning)- Same as the above, but more of a direct insult to a person you may be addressing directly. Thus, it would then be: "Fuck you!", "Up your ass!", "Up your mum!".

Hum Ka Ling 咸(冚) 家伶-(Literal Meaning)- May you die alone without any family!
-(Applied Meaning)- It is a more obsolete expression in Cantonese cinema, but it carries the same meanings and applications as Hum Ka Chaan.

I hope that these expressions have helped our non-Cantonese viewers to discern obscenity in films.

[Asmo]

Thanks for this, I've only ever been able to pinpoint a few phrases.

[kungfusamurai]

Another one, which I don't know if I'm spelling it correctly, is 'Bat Po!', which I remember learning from friends means 'Bitch!'.

KFS

[Yakuza954]

This really has the potential to be the most educational thread in this board's history. I'm ashamed to say after watching HK movies for many years, I've yet to pick up any real insults or profanity. Thank you for making me realize how lazy I've been all these years - Ill promise to study hard from now on.

[Yang Wu Liang]

Ha ha, nice thread. I picked up the phrase 'Ta ma de' (sp?) from mandarin films. When I tried it on my Chinese Mrs she got quite angry and banned me from saying it again! Still dunno what it means though.
:quiet:

[greenfan]

There's also 'bat por' which means 'bitch' and 'say bat por' which is 'crazy bitch'

[Fightingfist]

There's also 'bat por' which means 'bitch' and 'say bat por' which is 'crazy bitch'

Yh thts rite, gd post.

[Karlos]

I only know the truly filthy ones - which I daren't post!!!

[dragonherb]

Tony Leung says something very rude about someone's mother in Sting II.

[ekisha]

What about diu lei pUk gai lou mou tsau hai ham ga tsan ?

[Karlos]

Actually, I think that one wins, hands down!!

[Fightingfist]

Yhh very very bad mouthed tht is.

[sonnychibaidol]

To translate that extremely foul mouthed phrase, it is: "Fuck you, you bastard, and your mother's smelly pussy, you motherfucker!"

As for the meaning of the word: "Ta Ma De", it literally means: "His Mother". However, it is used in the context of swearing about something or at someone. Hence, it is often translated as: "Damn it!" or "Shit!". However, from a Mandarin perspective, it is like saying: "Screw his mother!".

[sonnychibaidol]

A slight correction. The last word for "Ham Ka Ling", is written as 拎, hence Ham Ka Ling is really written as "冚家拎". It carries the same weight as Ham Ka Chaan.

Another variation of "冚家鏟" (Ham Ka Chaan) is also "冚家祥", which is said as "Ham Ka Cheung". It is also used as an alternative to Ham Ka Chaan with the same weight and application of profanity.