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Disclaimer
Yuetyúe Lòmáji is not an established Cantonese script.
What is Yuetyúe Lòmáji?
Yuetyúe Lòmáji is a Romanization system used to write Cantonese in Roman letters. The aim is to standardize spoken Cantonese from the status of a vernacular to that of a literary language. Traditionally Cantonese is written using standard Chinese characters plus about 100 extra characters, which have been invented to represent sounds which do not occur in Mandarin. But it was decided to use Yuetyúe Lòmáji rather than Chinese characters to promote Cantonese learning among the young generation mainly living in English-speaking countries. Yuetyúe Lòmáji is slightly modified from Yale Romanization, the current most widely accepted system for Cantonese Romanization.
Guide to Yuetyúe Lòmáji
1. Introduction
Yuetyúe Lòmáji is based on features of the following schemes: Yale Romanization, Jyutping, Hong Kong ** Romanization, and Penkyamp. Below is a full explanation of all the letters used in Yuetyúe Lòmáji. It is recommended that you use this guide as a reference whenever writing in Yuetyúe Lòmáji.
2. The Yuetyúe Lòmáji Alphabet
The key to understanding Yuetyúe Lòmáji is that each letter or each group of letters represents only one particular sound. In English, a letter can represent many different sounds, for example: The vowel sounds in "bear", "lair", "care" are all the same, despite the fact that they are all spelt with different vowel letters. Also, the "a" in "cat", is definitely not the same sound as the "a" in "far", or "share". In Yuetyúe Lòmáji, each letter or each group of letters stands for one sound only. Just remember this: If it rhymes, then it should be spelt similarly. For example: sau (hand), hau (mouth), gau (nine), jau (to go), all rhyme with each other, so therefore they all use the "au" ending.
2.1 The Initial Sounds
b, c, d, f, g, gw, h, j, k, kw, l, m, n, ng, p, s, t, w, y
As for the consonants, all of the single consonants should be fairly easy for an English speaker to pronounce, but examples of all sounds will be provided. In total there are 19 consonant sounds. Similar consonant sounds have been grouped together.
| Letter |
English Sound |
Example |
| b |
s-p-ear |
bā 爸 (father), bêng 餅 (biscuit) |
| p |
p-ot (aspirated) |
p?au 跑 (to run), pàngyáu 朋友 (friends) |
| d |
s-t-ar |
d? 打 (to hit), daai 大 (big) |
| t |
t-ick (aspirated) |
t?i 睇 (to see), tēng 聽 (to listen) |
| j |
ca-ts |
jou 做 (to do), jī 知 (to know) |
| c |
ca-ts (aspirated) |
cāt 七 (seven), cē 車 (car) |
| g |
s-k-y |
g?u 九 (nine), g?ng 講 (to speak) |
| k |
k-ing (aspirated) |
kéoi 佢 (he/she), kéi 跂 (to stand) |
| gw |
s-qu-id |
gw?i 貴 (expensive), gwā 瓜 (melon) |
| kw |
qu-een (aspirated) |
kwàn 裙 (dress/skirt), kwāang 框 (frame) |
| l |
l-ight |
luk 六 (six), lik 力 (force/energy) |
| m |
m-an |
máai 買 (to buy), man 問 (to ask) |
| n |
n-ear |
nàam 男 (male), néoi 女 (female) |
| ng |
thi-ng |
ngáan 眼 (eye), ngà 牙 (tooth) |
| f |
f-un |
faan 飯 (cooked rice), fèi 肥 (fat) |
| s |
s-it |
sāam 三 (three), s?i 四 (four) |
| h |
h-ello |
h?u 口 (mouth), h?u 好 (good) |
| y |
y-es |
yāt 一 (one), y?u 要 (to demand/need/want) |
| w |
w-ater |
wūjōu 污糟 (dirty), wa 話 (to say) |
2.2 The Final Sounds
In all, Cantonese has 56 distinct final sounds that are composed of 54 compound finals and 2 syllabic nasals (m, ng). The compound finals are formed by combining 8 nuclei (aa, a, e, eo, i, o, u, ue) with 8 endings (i, u, m, n, ng, p, t, k).
The p, t, and k endings end in a clipped sound. This means that these endings are never actually aspirated (air is not released from your mouth at the end of the word). Note that this is very different from English, where the p, t, and k endings are usually aspirated.
Below are examples of all the final sounds.
2.2.1 Nucleus aa - a (aa), aai, aau; aam, aan, aang; aap, aat, aak
| Letter |
English Sound |
Example |
| a |
f-a-ther |
bā 爸 (father), wa 話 (to say) |
| aai |
l-ie |
daai 大 (big), máai 買 (to buy) |
| aau |
l-ou-d |
p?au 跑 (to run), bāau 包 (to wrap/bun) |
| |
| aam |
f-arm |
nàam 男 (male), sāam 三 (three) |
| aan |
aun-t |
ngáan 眼 (eye), faan 飯 (cooked rice) |
| aang |
arn + ng |
hàang 行 (to walk), ngaang 硬 (stiff) |
| |
| aap |
c-arp |
kekjaap 劇集 (drama serials) |
| aat |
art |
laat 辣 (spicy hot), waat (slippery) |
| aak |
ark |
baak 白 (white), ngaak 額 (forehead) |
2.2.2 Nucleus a - ai, au; am, an, ang; ap, at, ak
| Letter |
English Sound |
Example |
| ai |
s-i-te |
t?i 睇 (to see), s?i 洗 (to wash) |
| au |
ou-t |
h?u 口 (mouth), s?u 手 (hand) |
| |
| am |
s-um |
y?m 飲 (to drink), sām 心 (heart) |
| an |
s-un |
sān 新 (new), man 問 (to ask) |
| ang |
s-ung |
d?ng 等 (to wait), pàngyáu 朋友 (friends) |
| |
| ap |
c-up |
sap 十 (ten), yap 入 (to enter) |
| at |
c-ut |
yāt 一 (one), cāt 七 (seven) |
| ak |
s-uck |
hāk 黑 (black), bāk 北 (north) |
2.2.3 Nucleus e - e, ei, eu; em, eng; ep, ek
| Letter |
English Sound |
Example |
| e |
l-e-t |
cē 車 (car), sê 寫 (to write) |
| ei |
s-ay |
fèi 肥 (fat), bêi 畀 (to give) |
| eu |
c-al-culate |
deu 掉 (to drop), jeu (to chew) |
| |
| em |
s-am |
lêm 舐 (to lick) |
| eng |
s-ang |
bêng 餅 (biscuit), tēng 聽 (to listen) |
| |
| ep |
m-ap |
gep 夾 (to nip/to clamp) |
| ek |
s-ec |
sektàu 石頭 (stone), kekjaap 劇集 (drama serials) |
2.2.4 Nucleus eo - eo, eoi; eon, eong; eot, eok
| Letter |
English Sound |
Example |
| eo |
f-ur |
hēo 靴 (boot) |
| eoi |
oy + ee |
kéoi 佢 (he/she), sêoi 水 (water) |
| |
| eon |
very short oo + n |
cêon 蠢 (stupid/foolish), sèon 唇 (lips) |
| eong |
urn + ng |
sêong 想 (want to/wanna), léong 兩 (two) |
| |
| eot |
short p-ut |
cēot 出 (go out/come out), sēotsāam 恤衫 (shirt) |
| eok |
j-erk |
yeok 藥 (drug/medicine), jêok (bird) |
2.2.5 Nucleus i - i, iu; im, in, ing; ip, it, ik
| Letter |
English Sound |
Example |
| i |
s-ee |
jī 知 (to know), yi 易 (easy) |
| iu |
ee + ew |
s?u 少 (few), jīutàuj?u 朝頭早 (morning) |
| |
| im |
s-im |
d?m 點 (o'clock), tìm 甜 (sweet) |
| in |
s-in |
min 面 (face), tīn 天 (sky/heaven) |
| ing |
s-ing |
mìng 明 (to understand), jing 靜 (quiet) |
| |
| ip |
s-ip |
yip 葉 (leaf), d?p 碟 (plate) |
| it |
s-it |
yit 熱 (hot) |
| ik |
s-ick |
sik 食 (to eat), lik 力 (force/energy) |
2.2.6 Nucleus o - o, oi, ou; on, ong; ot, ok
| Letter |
English Sound |
Example |
| o |
f-ou-r |
có 坐 (to sit), dō 多 (many/much) |
| oi |
s-oy |
hōi 開 (to open), ngoimin 外面 (outside) |
| ou |
s-o |
jou 做 (to do), h?u 好 (good) |
| |
| on |
on |
gōn 乾 (dry), hon 汗 (sweat) |
| ong |
s-ong |
g?ng 講 (to speak), f?ng 房 (room) |
| |
| ot |
h-ot |
h?uh?t 口渴 (thirsty), g?t 割 (to cut/to shear) |
| ok |
s-ock |
hok 學 (to learn), lok 落 (go down) |
2.2.7 Nucleus u - u, ui; un, ung; ut, uk
| Letter |
English Sound |
Example |
| u |
t-oo |
wūjōu 污糟 (dirty), f? 苦 (bitter) |
| ui |
oo + ee |
būi 杯 (cup/glass), múi 每 (every) |
| |
| un |
m-oon |
mùn 門 (door), w?n 碗 (bowl) |
| ung |
l-one + ng |
yung 用 (to use), tùng 同 (and) |
| |
| ut |
f-oot |
sāngwut 生活 (life) |
| uk |
c-ook |
luk 六 (six), yuk 肉 (meat) |
2.2.8 Nucleus ue - ue; uen; uet
| Letter |
English Sound |
Example |
| ue |
rounded u |
sūe 書 (book), jūe 豬 (pig) |
| |
| uen |
rounded u + n |
d?en 短 (short), yúen 遠 (far) |
| |
| uet |
rounded u + d |
yuet 月 (month) |
2.2.9 Syllabic Nasals - m, ng
| Letter |
English Sound |
Example |
| m |
mmm... |
m`gōi 唔該 (thank you) |
| ng |
su-ng |
ng? 五 (five) |
3. Cantonese Tones
Tones are related to music. When you say 「do re mi fa so la ti do」, the tone rises each word up. In Chinese languages like Cantonese, tones are important in conveying meaning. Mandarin has 4 tones, Shanghainese has 5 and Teochew 6. Cantonese has 6 tones. If you think that is a lot, it is really not. It is actually easy for intuitive Cantonese speakers.
It many help to envision these tones drawn out in a diagram. The white horizontal lines show pitch levels, while the blue lines show tones.
In representing the tones, the accent mark of each tone is placed above the very first vowel letter in a word, e.g. sêoi 水 (water), hàang 行 (to walk), gw?i 貴 (expensive), g?ok 腳 (foot). Pronounce a word listed next to each tone and then look at the corresponding tone diagram.
| Tone |
Mark |
Contour |
Pitch Level |
Fu |
Si |
| 1 |
ā |
Level |
High (5-5) |
fū 夫 (husband) |
sī 詩 (poem) |
| 2 |
? |
Rising |
Mid to High (3-5) |
f? 苦 (bitter) |
s? 史 (history) |
| 3 |
? |
Level |
Mid (3-3) |
fü 富 (rich) |
s? 試 (to try) |
| 4 |
à |
Falling |
Low-Mid to Low (2-1) |
fù 扶 (to lean) |
sì 時 (time) |
| 5 |
á |
Rising |
Low to Mid (1-3) |
fú 婦 (woman) |
sí 市 (city) |
| 6 |
a |
Level |
Low-Mid (2-2) |
fu 父 (father) |
si 事 (event) |
Here are two examples to give you a clear idea of the differences between the 6 tones:
fū, f?, fü, fù, fú, fu
夫 (husband), 苦 (bitter), 富 (rich), 扶 (to lean), 婦 (woman), 父 (father)
sī, s?, s?, sì, sí, si
詩 (poem), 史 (history), 試 (to try), 時 (time), 市 (city), 事 (event)
3.1 Tone Mark Mnemonics
The following mnemonics should help create visual associations between the tones and accent marks.
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