💛 Hong Kong people don’t often say “我愛你” (ngo5 oi3 nei5 — I love you). In fact, instead of saying 愛 (oi3, love), they might say “鍾意” (zung1 ji3 — like) to express affection, or simply show love through actions — cooking your favourite dish, checking if you’ve eaten, or quietly doing something thoughtful. 💬
In this heartfelt and funny episode, Bee 🐝 and Gee 🇬🇧 dive deep into how Hongkongers express emotions differently from Western cultures.
✨ What you’ll hear in this episode:
• Why Hong Kong people rarely say “我愛你” — and what they say instead ❤️
• The meaning of “我鍾意你” (I like you) and when it’s used in Cantonese
• Real-life examples of how families and couples show love without words
• Funny comparisons between British and Hong Kong ways of expressing emotion
• How language, culture, and upbringing shape emotional expression
Bee shares her personal experience growing up in Hong Kong, where open emotional expression wasn’t common. Gee, coming from the UK, gives his perspective as someone used to hearing “I love you” more often — and together, they uncover the warmth and subtlety behind Hong Kong love culture. 💞
💡 Learn Cantonese phrases from this episode:
• 我愛你 (ngo5 oi3 nei5) — I love you
• 我鍾意你 (ngo5 zung1 ji3 nei5) — I like you
• 食咗飯未呀？(sik6 zo2 faan6 mei6 aa3?) — Have you eaten yet?
• 小心呀！(siu2 sam1 aa3!) — Be careful!
• 記得着多件衫呀！(gei3 dak1 zoek3 do1 gin6 saam1 aa3!) — Remember to wear more clothes!
These everyday phrases may sound simple, but to Hongkongers, they often mean “I love you” — just without the words.
🎧 Learn Cantonese. Understand Hong Kong.
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🎵 Music: “Rain”
Musician: @iksonmusic
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