How do you say wan an in Cantonese?

At bedtime, say 早唞 (zou2 tau2), also written 早抖. 晚安 (maan5 on1) is the same characters as Mandarin and is understood, but in Hong Kong it is mostly written in messages and cards or said on broadcasts.

What does 早唞 mean literally?

唞 (tau2) means to rest, so 早唞 is rest early. It is the bedtime farewell between family and friends.

Between friends and family, no. The dictionary also lists a sharp meaning, telling someone to go away when they have annoyed you badly, so tone and context matter. A warm, quiet 早唞 at bedtime is the safe version.

← Cantonese Dictionary

How to say wan an in Cantonese?

In Cantonese, 晚安 (wǎn'ān) at bedtime is 早唞 (zou2 tau2), "rest early". The rule: Mandarin says good night with 晚安; Hong Kong speech uses 早唞 zou2 tau2 when someone is going to bed or leaving for the night, and keeps 晚安 maan5 on1 for writing, messages and broadcasts. The same word turns up in the dictionary as 早抖, an alternative spelling of the same sound. Use the pinyin converter to check Mandarin tone marks while you compare.

If you'd say (Mandarin)	Say (Cantonese)	Notes
晚安 wǎn'ān (good night)	早唞 zou2 tau2	The spoken bedtime farewell
晚安 wǎn'ān (good night)	晚安 maan5 on1	Same characters; written cards, chat messages, broadcasts
睡覺 shuìjiào (to sleep)	瞓覺 fan3 gaau3	瞓 (fan3) replaces 睡 in everyday speech
晚上 wǎnshang (evening, night)	夜晚 je6 maan5	The spoken word for night
宵夜 xiāoyè (late-night snack)	宵夜 siu1 je6	Same word, new reading
午安 wǔ'ān (good afternoon)	午安 ng5 on1	Exists, but heard on radio and in classrooms rather than on the street

Scenarios

Situation	Say	Why
Hanging up on mum late at night	早唞	The family bedtime farewell
Leaving friends after a late dinner	早唞	"Rest early", a friendly sign-off
A goodnight text	晚安	Written register; very common in chat
A radio host signing off	晚安	Broadcast-formal
Passing a neighbour in the lift at 7pm	你好 or a nod	It is not bedtime yet, so no good night
Morning greeting instead	早晨	See zǎoshang hǎo in Cantonese

Variations

早唞 and 早抖 are one word with two spellings; you will meet both in the wild.
唞 (tau2) is the character for rest. The single-character entry is 唞 tau2.
Said sharply to someone who has annoyed you, 早唞 can mean "go away"; the dictionary lists that sense too. A warm tone at bedtime is the normal use.
Mandarin 晚安 read aloud in Cantonese (maan5 on1) is understood everywhere; it just sounds like a card or a broadcast.
The morning end of the day is 早晨; both are compared in 早晨 vs 早唞.

The mistake to avoid

Using 早唞 as a greeting when you arrive. It means rest early, so it only works when someone is leaving for bed. The other slip is the reverse: saying a stiff 晚安 to your family at home, where 早唞 is what they expect. Both are understood, but the first gets a laugh and the second sounds like a television announcer.

More learner answers on the FAQ page; next Mandarin bridges: zǎoshang hǎo, nǐ hǎo ma, shēngrì kuàilè, or browse all Mandarin-to-Cantonese guides.

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