Indulgences

1. 啤酒

   be1 zau2

   Beer

   Usage

   啤 transliterates English "beer"; a cold one is 凍啤 dung3 be1

2. 生啤

   saang1 be1

   Draught beer

   Usage

   Short for 生啤酒. Bottles and cans are 支裝 and 罐裝, as opposed to keg 樽裝

3. 紅酒

   hung4 zau2

   Red wine

   Usage

   For white, shops usually write 白餐酒 — plain 白酒 can be read as Chinese distilled baijiu

4. 香檳

   hoeng1 ban1

   Champagne

   Usage

   Transliteration of the French region Champagne; used at celebrations

5. 威士忌

   wai1 si6 gei2

   Whisky

   Usage

   On the rocks is 加冰; neat is 淨飲 zing6 jam2

   Grammar Note

   忌 is gei6 in isolation but takes the changed tone gei2 in this word

6. 白蘭地

   baak6 laan1 dei2

   Brandy

   Usage

   Popular at Hong Kong banquets; cognac specifically is 干邑 gon1 jap1

   Grammar Note

   The base readings are baak6 laan4 dei6; in this word the last two syllables shift to laan1 dei2

7. 米酒

   mai5 zau2

   Rice wine

   Usage

   Drunk, but also used as a cooking seasoning in Cantonese kitchens

8. 花雕

   faa1 diu1

   Huadiao (high-grade Shaoxing wine)

   Usage

   The yellow wine served at Cantonese banquets; also used for cooking

9. 孖蒸

   maa1 zing1

   Ma jing (Hong Kong twice-distilled rice spirit)

   Usage

   A Hong Kong and Guangdong local spirit, high in alcohol and drunk from small cups

   Grammar Note

   孖 is an everyday Cantonese-only character meaning "a pair", as in 孖仔 (twins) and 孖展 (margin trading)

10. 煙仔

    jin1 zai2

    Cigarette

    Usage

    The everyday spoken word; signs and written text use 香煙 hoeng1 jin1

11. 打火機

    daa2 fo2 gei1

    Lighter

    Usage

    Sold at convenience stores and kiosks; note the rules on carrying one onto a plane

12. 禁止吸煙

    gam3 zi2 kap1 jin1

    No smoking

    Usage

    Most indoor public places, restaurants and parks in Hong Kong are statutory no-smoking areas; look for these four characters on the sign

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