---
title: cantonese — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «cantonese» in the school dictionary: The Chinese language spoken in Guangzhou (once called Canton), Hong Kong, Macau and by many Chinese people abroad. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# cantonese

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** family, We, Cantonese, Nei hou · **What happens:** speak, call, do, have, sound, mean · **To what, where:** Chinese language, Guangzhou, Cantonese, home, Hong, Cantonese dim sum · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«cantonese» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [cantonese in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/cantonese.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Chinese language spoken in Guangzhou (once called Canton), Hong Kong, Macau and by many Chinese people abroad.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cantonese:m1:1
# text = The Chinese language spoken in Guangzhou (once called Canton), Hong Kong, Macau and by many Chinese people abroad.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Chinese	Chinese	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	language	language	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
4	spoken	speak	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	Guangzhou	Guangzhou	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
7	(	(	PUNCT	-LRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	once	once	ADV	RB	NumForm=Word|NumType=Mult	9	advmod	_	_
9	called	call	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl	_	_
10	Canton	Canton	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	)	)	PUNCT	-RRB-	_	9	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	Hong	Hong	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	appos	_	_
14	Kong	Kong	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	16	punct	_	_
16	Macau	Macau	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	13	conj	_	_
17	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	21	cc	_	_
18	by	by	ADP	IN	_	21	case	_	_
19	many	many	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
20	Chinese	Chinese	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	21	amod	_	_
21	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	conj	_	_
22	abroad	abroad	ADV	RB	_	21	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | participle |  | the Chinese language *not said here* |  | Guangzhou |  |  | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **call** | participle |  | Guangzhou *not said here* |  |  |  | once *property* | vn initiate\_communication-37.4.2-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: adjective — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
From or to do with this area, its people or its food.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cantonese:m2:1
# text = From or to do with this area, its people or its food.
1	From	from	SCONJ	IN	_	4	mark	_	_
2	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	do	do	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	with	with	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	this	this	DET	DT	Number=Sing|PronType=Dem	7	det	_	_
7	area	area	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	10	punct	_	_
9	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	10	nmod:poss	_	_
10	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	conj	_	_
11	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	13	cc	_	_
12	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	13	nmod:poss	_	_
13	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **do** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | with this area and its people or its food | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
The example in this meaning, parsed on its own:

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cantonese food.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cantonese:m2e:1
# text = Cantonese food.
1	Cantonese	cantonese	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .note -->
The frames reader finds no event or fact in this sentence.

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My friend's family speaks Cantonese at home.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cantonese:x1:1
# text = My friend's family speaks Cantonese at home.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	friend	friend	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod:poss	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	's	's	PART	POS	_	2	case	_	_
4	family	family	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
5	speaks	speak	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	Cantonese	Cantonese	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
7	at	at	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	home	home	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | present | My friend's family | Cantonese |  | home |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cantonese is spoken in Hong Kong.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cantonese:x2:1
# text = Cantonese is spoken in Hong Kong.
1	Cantonese	cantonese	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj:pass	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	spoken	speak	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	Hong	Hong	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	Kong	Kong	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	flat	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | present · passive |  | Cantonese |  | Hong |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
We had Cantonese dim sum for lunch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cantonese:x3:1
# text = We had Cantonese dim sum for lunch.
1	We	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	had	have	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	Cantonese	Cantonese	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
4	dim	dim	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	sum	sum	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	lunch	lunch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | past | We | Cantonese dim sum |  |  |  | for lunch | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sum=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cantonese and Mandarin sound very different.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cantonese:x4:1
# text = Cantonese and Mandarin sound very different.
1	Cantonese	cantonese	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	3	cc	_	_
3	Mandarin	Mandarin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	1	conj	_	_
4	sound	sound	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	different	different	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **sound** | present | Cantonese and Mandarin |  |  |  |  | different *property* | vn stimulus\_subject-30.4 «NP V ADJ»: agent=Stimulus |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
"Nei hou" means hello in Cantonese.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cantonese:x5:1
# text = "Nei hou" means hello in Cantonese.
1	"	"	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Nei	Nei	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	hou	hou	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	"	"	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	hello	hello	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
7	in	in	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	Cantonese	Cantonese	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | Nei hou | hello |  |  |  | in Cantonese | vn representation-110.1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Pivot hello=Theme in cantonese=Attribute |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Cantonese has more tones than Mandarin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:cantonese:x6:1
# text = Cantonese has more tones than Mandarin.
1	Cantonese	cantonese	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	more	more	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	4	amod	_	_
4	tones	tone	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	than	than	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	Mandarin	Mandarin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Cantonese | more tones |  |  |  | than Mandarin | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent tone=Patient |

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**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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