New Release: Cantonese Practical Dictionary

We're pleased to announce our new Cantonese Practical Dictionary is now available!

Spoken by nearly 60 million people, Cantonese rivals Mandarin as the lingua franca of both south China and of the worldwide Chinese diaspora population. Despite their similarities, Cantonese is not mutually intelligible with Mandarin. Cantonese is an official language of Hong Kong and Macau, and is the most common dialect in the Guangdong province.

Unique among all the Chinese dialects, Cantonese also has a writing system that is distinct from Mandarin Chinese and makes use of characters generally not understood by non-Cantonese speakers. Written Cantonese is commonly found on street signs in Hong Kong as well as in newspapers and novels. The spoken language also exerts a strong cultural influence on East Asia, due to the prominence of Hong Kong’s film and music industries. Our dictionary provides students and travelers with a portable yet comprehensive resource for everyday use.

Includes:

• Intuitive phonetic system and written Cantonese characters

• Over 14,000 entries

• Concise grammar and pronunciation section

You can now order the Cantonese Practical Dictionary online (Amazon, Barnes & Noble) or your local store (Indiebound)!

Also from Hippocrene:



The dictionary is a great companion to our Cantonese Dictionary & Phrasebook. The Cantonese Dictionary & Phrasebook is an indispensable reference for travelers, businesspeople, and students. The phrasebook, along with the 4,000 dictionary entries, includes Cantonese characters and intuitive phonetics. Also includes an easy-to-use guide that directs you through grammar and pronunciation.

Pick it up at your local bookstore or purchase through our website, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.

New Release: Cantonese Dictionary & Phrasebook

Although its total number of speakers (60 million) is merely a fraction of its behemoth sibling's, Mandarin (1025 million), Cantonese is still one of the world's most widely-spoken languages. It is an official language in Hong Kong and Macau, as well as a dominant dialect in the Guangdong province of China. It may not have the numbers that Mandarin claims, but Cantonese is nonetheless a major player in south China and among Chinese living abroad.

So where exactly does Cantonese pop up? Seemingly everywhere, if you're reading street signs, newspapers, or novels in Hong Kong. Maybe you're watching a Chinese film or listening to popular Chinese music. More often than not, these Chinese entertainment offerings will have also come out of Hong Kong, spreading spoken Cantonese to viewers and listeners across the globe.

Our new Cantonese Dictionary & Phrasebook serves as an indispensable reference for travelers, businesspeople, students, or anyone else interested in this notable language. Despite their similarities, Cantonese is not mutually intelligible with  Mandarin—it has a writing system all its own and uses characters not generally understood by non-Cantonese speakers.

So we've provided an easy-to-use guide that directs you through grammar and pronunciation. The phrasebook, along with the 4,000 dictionary entries, includes Cantonese characters and intuitive phonetics.

Get the most out of your trip with the newest Cantonese resource available! Pick it up at your local bookstore or purchase through our website, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.