Cantonese is spoken by an estimated 73 million people worldwide. It remains hugely influential and a source of great pride--especially for its speakers in Hong Kong, where it flourishes as the predominant language and so sets Hong Kong apart linguistically from all of mainland China. The first and most authoritative reference of its kind to be published in the last forty years, ABC Cantonese-English Comprehensive Dictionary comprises about 15,000 lexical entries that are unique to the colloquial Cantonese language as it is spoken and written in Hong Kong today. Author Robert S. Bauer, a renowned lexicographer and authority on Cantonese, has utilized language documentation resources to the fullest extent by gathering material firsthand from dictionaries, glossaries, and grammars; newspapers and magazines; government records; cartoons and comic books; film and television; websites; and native speakers striding the sidewalks of Hong Kong to capture concretely contemporary Cantonese. In addition to the Introduction, which presents an exhaustive description and analysis of Hong Kong Cantonese, this dictionary's special features include: alphabetical ordering of the lexical entries by their Jyut Ping romanized Cantonese pronunciations; parts of speech; cross-referencing with semantically related lexical items; variant pronunciations and written forms in Chinese characters and English letters; explanatory notes on social status and usage (literal, figurative, slang, jargon, humorous, obscene, obsolete, etc.); information on sociocultural, historical, and political aspects; and example sentences showing lexical usage in the context of spoken Cantonese.

First published in 2010. 500 Common Chinese Idioms is a unique tool for learners. Presenting the 500 most commonly used Chinese idioms or ‘chengyu’, this dictionary presents: The idiom in both simplified and traditional characters The idiom in pinyin romanisation A literal English translation and English equivalents Two suitable example sentences, plus explanations and usage notes The dictionary offers a step-by-step approach to gaining greater fluency through a grasp of the most common idioms in the language, making it the ideal resource for the intermediate learner of Chinese and for Chinese language teachers. The book is also accompanied by recordings of all 500 idioms, available free through the companion website.

No body speaks in strictly formal address anymore. Not even in China, where the common expressions tossed around in the newly metropolitan cities are far from text book China. This all-new, totally-up-to-date book fills the gap between how people really talk in China and what Chinese language students are taught.

Look-up words quickly and easily with this travel size Cantonese phrasebook and dictionary. Essential Cantonese Phrasebook & Dictionary clearly and concisely presents all the everyday words, phrases and expressions you need when traveling to Hong Kong and Canton (Guangdong). In this accessible phrasebook you'll find: A pronunciation guide and grammar notes explaining the basic sounds and sentence patterns of the language Essential Cantonese expressions for meeting people, asking and answering simple questions, and starting up friendly conversations New manga illustrations demonstrating critical phrases in real life situations Vocabulary for technology, WiFi, smartphones and social media A useful English-Cantonese dictionary, so the right words are at your fingertips Travel tips and cultural notes allow you to interact without making social blunders With 14 chapters covering topics from talking about the weather to what to do in an emergency, you will never be caught unprepared. Essential Cantonese is the best book to get for travel to Hong Kong and Canton-- interact confidently with native Cantonese speakers.

A fascinating guide to English's exotic side...