Emergency

1. 救命！

   gau3 meng6!

   Help! Save me!

   Usage

   Urgent cry for help in a dangerous situation

   Grammar Note

   "救命" literally means "save my life". The emergency number in Hong Kong is 999 (police, fire, ambulance).

2. 打九九九

   daa2 gau2 gau2 gau2

   Call 999 (Hong Kong emergency number)

   Usage

   Used to tell someone to call HK's emergency number 999

   Grammar Note

   "打 (daa2)" is the Cantonese colloquial verb for making a phone call. "打九九九" = "call 999".

3. 我需要睇醫生

   ngo5 seoi1 jiu3 tai2 ji1 sang1

   I need to see a doctor

   Usage

   Used when medical attention is needed

   Grammar Note

   In Cantonese, "睇 (tai2)" means "see/look" and "睇醫生" means "see a doctor" — equivalent to Mandarin "看醫生".

4. 我唔舒服

   ngo5 m4 syu1 fuk6

   I'm not feeling well

   Usage

   Basic expression for communicating that you feel unwell

   Grammar Note

   "舒服 (syu1 fuk6)" means "comfortable, feeling well". Adding the negation "唔 (m4)" gives "feeling unwell".

5. 最近嘅醫院喺邊度？

   zeoi3 gan6 ge3 ji1 jyun2 hai2 bin1 dou6?

   Where is the nearest hospital?

   Usage

   Used in an emergency to locate the nearest hospital

   Grammar Note

   "喺邊度 (hai2 bin1 dou6)" is the standard Cantonese question form for asking locations.

6. 我遺失咗護照

   ngo5 wai4 sat1 zo2 wu6 ziu3

   I have lost my passport

   Usage

   Used when reporting a lost passport to police or an embassy

   Grammar Note

   "遺失咗" uses the completed aspect marker "咗 (zo2)" to emphasize that the loss has occurred.

7. 有人偷咗我嘅錢包

   jau5 jan4 tau1 zo2 ngo5 ge3 cin4 baau1

   Someone stole my wallet

   Usage

   Used when reporting a theft to the police

   Grammar Note

   "有人 (jau5 jan4)" means "someone". "偷咗 (tau1 zo2)" uses the completion marker to mean "has stolen".

8. 我對呢種藥物敏感

   ngo5 deoi3 ni1 zung2 joek6 mat6 man5 gam2

   I am allergic to this medication

   Usage

   Used at a hospital or pharmacy to communicate a drug allergy

   Grammar Note

   "種 (zung2)" is the measure word for types/kinds. "敏感 (man5 gam2)" means "allergic/sensitive" in medical context.

9. 唔該叫救護車

   m4 goi1 giu3 gau3 wu6 ce1

   Please call an ambulance

   Usage

   Used when an ambulance is urgently needed

   Grammar Note

   "叫 (giu3)" means "to call/summon". "救護車 (gau3 wu6 ce1)" is the Cantonese word for ambulance.

10. 我要搵領事館

    ngo5 jiu3 wan2 ling5 si6 gun2

    I need to contact the consulate

    Usage

    Used when you need to contact your country's consulate in an emergency

    Grammar Note

    "搵 (wan2)" is a distinctly Cantonese verb meaning "to find, seek, or contact". Equivalent to Mandarin "找 (zhǎo)".

11. 唔好搞我！

    m4 hou2 gaau2 ngo5!

    Stop it! / Leave me alone!

    Usage

    Show it firmly to touts, scammers, or anyone following you — deliberately blunt, so you can refuse without speaking

12. 唔好掂我！

    m4 hou2 dim6 ngo5!

    Don’t touch me!

    Usage

    Hold it up to anyone who puts a hand on you; "dim6" is the Cantonese verb for touching

13. 叫警察！

    giu3 ging2 caat3!

    Call the police!

    Usage

    Show it to bystanders to get help; Hong Kong’s emergency number is 999

14. 火燭

    fo2 zuk1

    Fire

    Usage

    The Cantonese word for a fire; more everyday than the written form "火災", used when reporting or evacuating

15. 賊

    caak2

    Thief

    Usage

    The Cantonese word for someone who steals quietly; as a noun it takes the changed tone caak2 (the underlying tone is caak6)

16. 打劫

    daa2 gip3

    Robbery

    Usage

    Taking someone's property by force or threat; "搶劫" and "搶嘢" are used for the same thing

17. 扒手

    paa4 sau2

    Pickpocket

    Usage

    Someone who lifts a wallet or phone off a person; Cantonese slang also calls them "文雀"

18. 綁架

    bong2 gaa3

    Kidnapping

    Usage

    Seizing a hostage to demand a ransom; Hong Kong slang also calls it "標參"

19. 殺人

    saat3 jan4

    Murder

    Usage

    Causing another person's death; premeditated killing is "謀殺" and killing by negligence is "誤殺"

20. 暴動

    bou6 dung6

    Riot

    Usage

    A crowd venting anger through destruction and violence; also called "動亂", "暴亂" or "騷亂"

21. 炸彈

    zaa3 daan2

    Bomb

    Usage

    A weapon packed with explosives; point at it when reporting a suspicious object

22. 呢度有火燭！快啲走！

    ni1 dou6 jau5 fo2 zuk1! faai3 di1 zau2!

    Fire! Run!

    Usage

    Used to alert people to a fire and tell them to get out

    Grammar Note

    The "呢度有…" frame of "呢度有冇輪椅通道？" (is there a wheelchair route here?), filled with "火燭", the Cantonese word for a fire. Cantonese "走" means to run or flee, not to walk as in Mandarin.

23. 有人偷嘢！捉住佢！

    jau5 jan4 tau1 je5! zuk1 zyu6 keoi5!

    Thief! Catch him!

    Usage

    Shout it at the scene of a theft to ask bystanders to stop the thief

    Grammar Note

    Same "有人偷…" frame as "有人偷咗我嘅錢包" (someone stole my wallet), with "嘢" (thing) as the object. "嘢" is the Cantonese word for thing and "佢" is the third-person pronoun.

24. 唔該叫消防車

    m4 goi1 giu3 siu1 fong4 ce1

    Please call a fire engine

    Usage

    Used to ask someone to call the fire brigade

    Grammar Note

    Same "唔該叫…" frame as "唔該叫救護車" (please call an ambulance), with "消防車" as what is summoned. The Hong Kong emergency number is 999.

25. 警署喺邊度？

    ging2 cyu5 hai2 bin1 dou6?

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

    Ask where the police station is, for example to file a report

    Grammar Note

    The same "…喺邊度？" frame as "郵局喺邊度？" (where is the post office?), with "警署" as the place asked about. In Hong Kong a police station is "警署" (official) or "差館" (colloquial); "警察局" refers to stations in Taiwan, mainland China or abroad.

26. 有冇人識講日文？

    jau5 mou5 jan4 sik1 gong2 jat6 man2?

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Usage

    Used to look for a Japanese speaker when you cannot make yourself understood

    Grammar Note

    The "有冇人…" frame of "呢個位有冇人坐？" (is this seat taken?) combined with "識講" from "我唔識講粵語" (I don't speak Cantonese).

27. 呢度有人失去意識

    ni1 dou6 jau5 jan4 sat1 heoi3 ji3 sik1

    This person is unconscious

    Usage

    Tell paramedics or bystanders that a collapsed person is unresponsive

    Grammar Note

    The "呢度有…" frame of "呢度有冇輪椅通道？", filled with "失去意識"; 失去意識 means to lose consciousness.

28. 呢度有人溺水！

    ni1 dou6 jau5 jan4 nik6 seoi2!

    Someone is drowning

    Usage

    Raise the alarm that someone has fallen into the water

    Grammar Note

    The "呢度有…" frame of "呢度有冇輪椅通道？", filled with "溺水" (to sink into the water, to drown).

29. 我想報告有人打咗我

    ngo5 soeng2 bou3 gou3 jau5 jan4 daa2 zo2 ngo5

    I was beaten

    Usage

    Report to the police that you were assaulted

    Grammar Note

    Combines the "我想報告…" frame of "我想報告部車有花痕。" (I want to report scratches on the car) with the "有人…咗我" wording of "有人偷咗我嘅錢包". "咗" is the Cantonese perfective particle.

30. 我想報告有人用刀刺傷我

    ngo5 soeng2 bou3 gou3 jau5 jan4 jung6 dou1 ci3 soeng1 ngo5

    I was stabbed

    Usage

    Report to the police that you were stabbed with a blade

    Grammar Note

    Same "我想報告…" frame as "我想報告部車有花痕。". Built from "刺" (to stab) and "傷" (to injure); 刀傷 means knife wound.

31. 我想報告有人呃咗我

    ngo5 soeng2 bou3 gou3 jau5 jan4 aak1 zo2 ngo5

    I was deceived

    Usage

    Report to the police that you have been swindled

    Grammar Note

    The "我想報告…" frame plus the "有人…咗我" wording. "呃" is the Cantonese verb to deceive or swindle, the same word as in the expression "唔好呃我" (don't cheat me).

32. 有人偷咗我間房嘅嘢

    jau5 jan4 tau1 zo2 ngo5 gaan1 fong2 ge3 je5

    My room was broken into

    Usage

    Report to police or hotel staff that your room was burgled while you were out

    Grammar Note

    Same "有人偷咗我…" frame as "有人偷咗我嘅錢包" (someone stole my wallet), with what was taken changed to "間房嘅嘢" (the things in my room). "間" is the classifier for rooms and "嘅" marks possession.

33. 我想報告嗰個人係犯人

    ngo5 soeng2 bou3 gou3 go2 go3 jan4 hai6 faan6 jan4

    That person is the culprit

    Usage

    Point out the offender to the police

    Grammar Note

    The "我想報告…" frame filled with the demonstrative "嗰個" and "犯人" (culprit). "係" is the Cantonese copula.

34. 我唔記得咗攞啲嘢

    ngo5 m4 gei3 dak1 zo2 lo2 di1 je5

    I left it behind

    Usage

    Tell staff that you left your belongings at a shop or on a vehicle

    Grammar Note

    Same "我唔記得咗…" frame as "我唔記得咗密碼。" (I forgot the PIN), with what was forgotten changed to "攞啲嘢" (to pick up my things) — leaving something behind rather than losing it.

35. 我想報告部車撞咗我

    ngo5 soeng2 bou3 gou3 bou6 ce1 zong6 zo2 ngo5

    I was hit by a car

    Usage

    Report to the police that you were hit by a car

    Grammar Note

    Reuses "我想報告部車" from "我想報告部車有花痕。" and swaps the predicate for "撞咗我". "部" is the classifier for vehicles and "撞" means to hit or collide.

36. 唔該行太平門逃生

    m4 goi1 haang4 taai3 ping4 mun4 tou4 sang1

    Please escape through the emergency exit

    Usage

    Direct people to leave through the emergency exit in a fire or similar

    Grammar Note

    太平門 means emergency exit. Hong Kong emergency-exit signs use this wording rather than Mandarin 安全出口 or 緊急出口.

37. 呢度有危險！

    ni1 dou6 jau5 ngai4 him2!

    Watch out!

    Usage

    Warn someone of immediate danger

    Grammar Note

    The "呢度有…" frame of "呢度有冇輪椅通道？", filled with "危險", also used in "危險嘅海洋生物".

38. 唔該你即刻嚟

    m4 goi1 nei5 zik1 hak1 lai4

    Please come right away

    Usage

    Ask someone on the phone or in person to come immediately

    Grammar Note

    The "唔該你…" request of "唔該你講慢啲。" (please speak more slowly), filled with the words "即刻" (at once) and "嚟" (to come).

39. 呢個係緊急情況

    ni1 go3 hai6 gan2 gap1 cing4 fong3

    It's an emergency

    Usage

    State that this is an emergency when you are being kept waiting

    Grammar Note

    The "呢個係…" frame of "呢個係咩節日？" (what festival is this?), filled with "緊急情況"; 緊急情況 means emergency.

40. 可唔可以帶我去醫院？

    ho2 m4 ho2 ji5 daai3 ngo5 heoi3 ji1 jyun2?

    Please take me to a hospital

    Usage

    Used when ill or injured to ask someone to take you to hospital

    Grammar Note

    Reuses "可唔可以帶我" from "我可唔可以帶我嘅導盲犬入去？" (may I bring my guide dog in?), with "醫院" as the destination.

41. 有交通意外發生

    jau5 gaau1 tung1 ji3 ngoi6 faat3 sang1

    There has been a traffic accident

    Usage

    Report that a road accident has happened, to the emergency line or to bystanders. The emergency number in Hong Kong is 999

    Grammar Note

    "有…發生" is the pattern for an event happening. 交通意外 is the standard Hong Kong term for a traffic accident, also called 交通失事 or 交通事故. 交通 is the element in 交通警察 and 公共交通. Use traditional characters and Jyutping romanization.

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