Body Parts

1. 頭

   tau4

   Head

   Usage

   Show this at a clinic and point to your own head. "Tau4 tung3" means headache

2. 頭髮

   tau4 faat3

   Hair

   Usage

   Used at a salon or barber. "Zin2 tau4 faat3" means to get a haircut

3. 面

   min6

   Face

   Usage

   Cantonese says "min6" for face; the Mandarin "liǎn" is not used. Show it at a facial salon or a dermatologist

4. 眼

   ngaan5

   Eye

   Usage

   Point to it when your eye hurts, is red, or you need drops. "Ngaan5 joek6 seoi2" is eye drops

5. 耳仔

   ji5 zai2

   Ear

   Usage

   Use it for ear trouble after a flight or a dive. "Zai2" is the Cantonese diminutive suffix

6. 鼻

   bei6

   Nose

   Usage

   Point to it at a pharmacy for a blocked nose or a nosebleed. "Bei6 sak1" is a stuffy nose

7. 嘴

   zeoi2

   Mouth

   Usage

   Use it for mouth ulcers or pain inside the mouth. "Hau2" is also used in speech

8. 牙

   ngaa4

   Tooth

   Usage

   Show it at the dentist while pointing at the tooth that hurts. A dentist is "ngaa4 ji1"

9. 脷

   lei6

   Tongue

   Usage

   A Cantonese-only character. "Sit6" (tongue) sounds like "to lose money", so the word was replaced with one built on "lei6" (profit)

10. 頸

    geng2

    Neck

    Usage

    Point to it at a massage shop for a stiff neck. The throat itself is "hau4 lung4"

11. 喉嚨

    hau4 lung4

    Throat

    Usage

    Use it at a pharmacy or clinic for a sore throat. "Hau4 lung4 tung3" means my throat hurts

12. 膊頭

    bok3 tau4

    Shoulder

    Usage

    Point to it to ask a masseur to focus there. Cantonese says "bok3 tau4", not the Mandarin "jiānbǎng"

13. 手臂

    sau2 bei3

    Arm

    Usage

    Use it to show where you were hurt in a fall or an accident

14. 手踭

    sau2 zaang1

    Elbow

    Usage

    "Zaang1" is a Cantonese-only character. A common place for grazes — point to it after a fall

15. 手

    sau2

    Hand

    Usage

    Use it to show an injury or the area to be treated at a nail salon

16. 手指

    sau2 zi2

    Finger

    Usage

    Point to it for a finger injury or a ring size. Toes are "goek3 zi2"

17. 指甲

    zi2 gaap3

    Nail

    Usage

    Use it at a nail salon, or to show a problem such as an ingrown nail

18. 心口

    sam1 hau2

    Chest

    Usage

    Point to it for chest pain or tightness. This is urgent — show it early

19. 肚

    tou5

    Stomach / Belly

    Usage

    The key word for food poisoning or a stomach ache. "Tou5 tung3" is stomach pain, "tou5 o1" is diarrhoea

20. 背脊

    bui3 zek3

    Back

    Usage

    Use it to direct a massage or to show where your back pain is

21. 腰

    jiu1

    Waist / Lower back

    Usage

    Use it to point at your lower back, or for the waist size of clothing. "Jiu1 gwat1 tung3" is lower-back pain

22. 臀部

    tyun4 bou6

    Buttocks

    Usage

    The clinical word, fine to show at a hospital, for an injection site or soreness after a long ride. The colloquial Cantonese word sounds crude, so stick to this one

23. 大髀

    daai6 bei2

    Thigh

    Usage

    Cantonese calls the thigh "daai6 bei2". Use it to mark a massage area or show where you were hurt

24. 膝頭

    sat1 tau4

    Knee

    Usage

    Easily hurt on Hong Kong's slopes and stairs. Colloquially also "sat1 tau4 go1"

25. 腳

    goek3

    Leg / Foot

    Usage

    In Cantonese "goek3" covers both the leg and the foot. To be specific, use "daai6 bei2" for the thigh and "goek3 baan2" for the sole

26. 腳板

    goek3 baan2

    Sole of the foot

    Usage

    Use it to book a reflexology session ("goek3 dai2 on1 mo1") or to show a blister

27. 腳眼

    goek3 ngaan5

    Ankle

    Usage

    The colloquial Cantonese form, literally "foot eye" — clearer in speech than the written "goek3 waa5". Point to it for a sprain

28. 皮膚

    pei4 fu1

    Skin

    Usage

    Use it at a pharmacy for insect bites, sunburn, or a rash. Dermatology is "pei4 fu1 fo1"

29. 骨

    gwat1

    Bone

    Usage

    Use it when you think something is broken. "Gwat1 zit3" is a fracture

30. 血

    hyut3

    Blood

    Usage

    Use it for bleeding or a blood test. "Lau4 hyut3" means it is bleeding

31. 心臟

    sam1 zong6

    Heart

    Usage

    Use it for a heart condition or palpitations. "Sam1 zong6 beng6" is heart disease

32. 胃

    wai6

    Stomach (organ)

    Usage

    Use it to ask for stomach medicine or to describe a stomach condition. For general belly pain use "tou5"

33. 腸

    coeng4

    Intestines

    Usage

    Use it with a doctor for lasting diarrhoea or abdominal trouble

34. 肺

    fai3

    Lung

    Usage

    Use it for a cough, shortness of breath, or asthma

35. 肝

    gon1

    Liver

    Usage

    Use it when telling a doctor about a liver condition or your medication

36. 腎

    san6

    Kidney

    Usage

    Use it for a kidney condition or pain in the side of your back

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