This is a blog to track the learning path for me and Holly, who are eager to refine our linguistic ability and add some fun to the tedious life. I am interested in Cantonese, Japanese and Holly loves Shanghainese. I will write down what we learned every day(hopefully) to help us review and visualize our study. Quite meaningful right? Not only practise my language but also eventually build something for my own fun. Vamous!
📅 Week3 2026.2.2 - 2026.2.7
🇭🇰 Cantonese Module
| Vocabulary / Phrase |
Romanization (Jyutping) |
Meaning |
Context & English Explanation |
| 湿湿碎 |
sap1 sap1 seoi1 |
A piece of cake |
Used to describe a task that is trivial or very easy to complete. Equivalent to “No big deal.” |
| 做乜嘢 |
zou6 mat1 je5 |
What are you doing? |
The standard way to ask “What are you doing?” Logic: Do (做) + What (乜) + Thing (嘢). |
| 做乜 / 做乜鬼 |
zou6 mat1 (gwai2) |
What (the heck)? |
Zou mat is the shorthand. Zou mat gwai is stronger, like “What the heck are you doing?” |
| 喺度 |
hai2 dou6 |
-ing / Right here |
Used before a verb to indicate a continuous action (like the English “-ing”) or to say “I am here.” |
| 好攰 |
hou2 gui6 |
So exhausted |
Used to express physical or mental tiredness. “I’m so spent after coding all day.” |
| 好嬲 |
hou2 nau1 |
So angry |
Used when you are mad or pissed off. Note: The character “嬲” specifically means angry in Cantonese. |
| 好叻 |
hou2 lek1 |
So smart / Capable |
A common compliment for someone who is brilliant, talented, or has done a great job. |
| 心水 |
sam1 seoi2 |
Favorite / Preferred |
心头好、中意的东西 |
| 扮嘢 |
baan6 je5 |
To show off / To pretend |
装模作样、摆谱 |
🇯🇵 Japanese module
| Sentence / Component |
Romaji |
Meaning |
Logic / Analogy |
| 集中して勉強しています |
Shuuchuu shite benkyou shite imasu |
I’m focusing on my studies. |
Stacking logic: “Focusing AND Studying.” |
| 集中して |
Shuuchuu shite |
Focusing |
Modifier/State: Using “te-form” to link states. |
| 勉強 |
Benkyou |
Study |
Core Object: The noun part of the action. |
| しています (います) |
shite-imasu |
Am doing |
Wrapper: Progressive state + Politeness flag. |
🏙️ Shanghainese
| Vocabulary / Phrase |
Romanization |
Meaning |
Context & Logic |
| 顺风车 |
zen fong cu |
Hitch a ride / Carpool |
现代上海话直接发音，”zen” 对应顺，”fong” 对应风，”cu” 对应车。 |
| 轮船 |
len zoe |
Ship / Steamboat |
上海话发音，”leng” 对应轮，”zei” 对应船。 |
| 侬耳朵当八折 |
nong ni du dang ba za |
Are your ears only working at 80%? |
Logic: Teasing someone for not listening carefully or mishearing things. |
| 退招势 |
te zao si |
Showy / Pretentious |
太丢脸 |
| 出外快 |
ca nga kuai |
Hit the mark by a fluke |
歪打正着、意外收获 |
| 辣手 |
laq siu |
Tough / Cruel / Tricky |
棘手、厉害、手段狠毒 |
📖 Root Analysis
1. Root: -CUR- / -COURS-
- Etymology: Derived from Latin currere, meaning “To run / To flow”.
- Engineering Intuition: Visualize the “Execution Flow” of code or the “Data Stream” moving through a system.
| Word |
Morphological Breakdown |
Definition (CS/Technical Context) |
Typical Application |
| Current |
cur (run/flow) + ent (adj. suffix) |
Present; Ongoing |
Current branch (The branch you are currently working on). |
| Concurrent |
con (together) + cur (run) |
Running together / Parallel |
Concurrency in C++, referring to multiple threads running simultaneously. |
| Recursion |
re (back) + cur (run) |
Running back to itself |
A function that calls itself until a base case is met. |
| Cursor |
curs (run) + or (agent/tool) |
The runner/indicator |
The indicator on a screen that “runs” to a specific position. |
| Course |
cours (flow) |
Path / Direction |
The path of a process or a series of lectures (a “study path”). |
| Occur |
oc (toward) + cur (run) |
To run into / To happen |
An error occurred: An event that ran into the program’s execution flow. |
| Precursor |
pre (before) + cur (run) |
Forerunner |
A state or event that “runs before” another (a prerequisite). |
2. Root: -PON- / -POS- / -POUND-
- Etymology: Derived from Latin ponere, meaning “To put / To place / To set”.
- Engineering Intuition: Visualize “Setting a state,” “Storing assets,” or “Placing components” into a architecture.
| Word |
Morphological Breakdown |
Definition (CS/Technical Context) |
Typical Application |
| Repository |
re (back/store) + pos (place) |
A place where things are stored |
Git Repo: The physical/logical location where code assets are placed. |
| Component |
com (together) + pon (put) |
A part placed together with others |
Reusable UI Components in your Jekyll site or software modules. |
| Compose |
com (together) + pos (put) |
To put together / To construct |
Docker Compose: Putting multiple containers together to run as a service. |
| Position |
pos (place) + ition (noun suffix) |
The location of an object |
The index or memory address where a data element is “placed.” |
| Deposit |
de (down) + pos (place) |
To put down / To store |
Placing money into a bank or “depositing” data into a database. |
| Postpone |
post (after) + pon (put) |
To put off until later |
Moving a task or a meeting to a later “place” on the timeline. |
| Compound |
com (together) + pound (put) |
To put together / Complex |
Compound Interest: Interest placed on top of interest. |
| Oppose |
op (against) + pos (place) |
To place against |
To set a different view or value against the current one. |
3. Root: -GEN-
Etymology: Derived from Greek genos and Latin genus, meaning “Birth / Origin / Kind / Race”.
Engineering Intuition: Visualize “Creation” and “Type”—the mechanism that spawns new instances or defines the nature of a class/category.
| Word |
Morphological Breakdown |
Definition (CS/Technical Context) |
Typical Application |
| Generate |
gen (birth) + ate (verb suffix) |
To produce or create |
Code Generation: Tools that automatically write boilerplate code. |
| Generic |
gen (kind) + ic (adj. suffix) |
Relating to a whole group/type |
Generics in C++: Using templates to write code that works with any data type. |
| Generator |
gen (birth) + er/or (agent) |
A routine that produces values |
Python Generators: Functions that yield a sequence of values lazily. |
| Degenerate |
de (down/away) + gen (kind) |
To fall away from its type |
Degenerate Case: A limiting case where a problem changes its nature (e.g., a circle with radius 0). |
| Indigenous |
indi (within) + gen (birth) + ous |
Born within; native |
Indigenous Data: Data that is local or native to a specific environment/system. |
| Heterogeneous |
hetero (different) + gen (kind) |
Consisting of different types |
Heterogeneous Computing: Systems using different types of processors (e.g., CPU + GPU). |
| Homogeneous |
homo (same) + gen (kind) |
Consisting of the same type |
Homogeneous Cluster: A server cluster where all nodes have identical hardware. |
| Regenerate |
re (again) + gen (birth) |
To create or build again |
Regenerate Assets: Re-building cache or static files (like in your Jekyll site). |
💡 工程师的联想笔记：
- Generative AI: 现在的 LLM（大语言模型）被称为 Generative，核心就在于它的 -GEN- 能力——不是在搜索，而是在“从无到有”地创造（Birth/Origin）内容。
- Generic Programming: 迪，你在写 C++ Template 时，本质上是在定义一个 Generic (Kind) 逻辑，直到实例化时才真正 Generate (Birth) 出具体的函数。
- Entropy vs. Degeneracy: 在算法优化中，如果一个复杂的结构退化成了最简单的形态，我们称之为 Degenerate，就像复杂的逻辑流最后降级成了一个简单的
if-else。
📅 Day 2: Add-ons
Jan 31, 2026
🇭🇰 Cantonese Module
| Vocabulary / Phrase |
Romanization (Jyutping) |
Meaning |
Context |
| Ling 零 |
ling4 |
Zero |
Same as in Mandarin but with a lower tone. |
| Jat 一 |
jat1 |
One |
Used for counting or items. |
| Ji 二 / Loeng 两 |
ji6 / loeng5 |
Two |
“Ji” for numbers, “Loeng” for quantities. |
| Saam 三 |
saam1 |
Three |
Sounds like “Life/Birth” (Prosperous). |
| Sei 四 |
sei3 |
Four |
Sounds like “Death” (Often avoided). |
| Ng 五 |
ng5 |
Five |
Pronounced as a nasal “Ng” sound. |
| Luk 六 |
luk6 |
Six |
Sounds like “Luck” or “Smooth”. |
| Chat 七 |
cat1 |
Seven |
Be careful: can be used in slang/curse words. |
| Baat 八 |
baat3 |
Eight |
Sounds like “Prosperity” (Fa). |
| Gau 九 |
gau2 |
Nine |
Often used in the phrase “Gau-m-daap-baat” (Nonsense). |
| Sap 十 |
sap6 |
Ten |
Pronounced like a short “Sub”. |
| Nei Hou 你好 |
nei5 hou2 |
Hello |
Standard greeting for anyone. |
| Do-ze 多谢 |
do1 ze6 |
Thank you (formal) |
Use for gifts, offers, or big opportunities. |
| Hou-je 好嘢 |
hou2 je5 |
Great / Awesome |
To cheer or celebrate a good result. |
| Mou-man-tai 冇问题 |
mou5 man6 tai4 |
No problem |
“Sure,” “I can do it.” |
| Gaau-dim 搞掂 |
gaau2 dim6 |
Done / Settled |
When you finish a task or fix a bug. |
| Sau-gung 收工 |
sau1 gung1 |
Finish work |
Leaving the office after a long day. |
| Sik-faan 食饭 |
sik6 faan6 |
Eat meal |
General term for lunch/dinner or hanging out. |
| Nei-waa-si 你话事 |
nei5 waa6 si6 |
Up to you |
“You call the shots.” |
| Daai-lou 大佬 |
daai6 lou2 |
Boss / Expert |
Can mean a literal boss or a pro engineer. |
| Ging 劲 |
ging6 |
Powerful / Pro |
“Your code is so ging!” (very professional). |
| Zau-sin 走先 |
zau2 sin1 |
Leaving now |
Said when you leave a group or the office. |
| Coi-can 踩亲 |
caai2 can1 |
Stepped on |
Said when you step on something accidentally |
| Baak-caat 爆擦 |
baau3 caat3 |
Chapped |
cracked when lips get dry |
| Vocabulary / Phrase |
Romanization (Jyutping) |
Meaning |
Context / Usage |
| Nei giu me meng aa? 你叫咩名呀？ |
nei5 giu3 me1 meng2 aa3? |
What is your name? |
Standard way to ask someone’s name. |
| Ngo giu… 我叫… |
ngo5 giu3… |
My name is… |
Introducing yourself. |
| Dim joeng cing fu? 点样称呼？ |
dim2 joeng6 cing1 fu1? |
How should I address you? |
A more formal/polite way to ask for a name. |
| Hou gou hing sik dou nei 好高兴识到你 |
hou2 gou1 hing3 sik1 dou2 nei5 |
Nice to meet you |
Use after exchanging names. |
| Zung-man meng 中文名 |
zung1 man4 meng2 |
Chinese name |
Referring to your Chinese name. |
| Eng-man meng 英文名 |
jing1 man4 meng2 |
English name |
Referring to your English name (e.g., Di). |
| Sin-sang 先生 |
sin1 saang1 |
Mr. / Gentleman |
Formal address for a man. |
| Siu-ze 小姐 |
siu2 ze2 |
Ms. / Lady |
Formal address for a woman. |
🇯🇵 Japanese Module (日本語)
| Vocabulary |
Romanization |
Meaning |
Context |
| よろしくお願いします |
Yoroshiku onegaishimasu |
Nice to meet you / I’m in your hands |
Used when starting a project or asking a favor. |
| こんにちは |
Konnichiwa |
Hello |
Standard greeting. |
| ありがとう |
Arigatou |
Thank you |
Informal way to say thanks. |
| 元気ですね |
Genki desu ne |
You are energetic / How are you? |
A friendly greeting or observation. |
| せんせい |
Sensei |
Teacher / Master |
Used for teachers, doctors, or experts. |
| 集中して勉強しています |
Shuuchuu shite benkyou shite imasu |
I am studying with focus |
“Shuuchuu” means concentration. |
| なるほど |
Naruhodo |
I see / Indeed |
Used when you understand something new. |
| ご飯にする？ |
Gohan ni suru? |
Shall we eat? |
Informal way to suggest eating. |
| お疲れ様です |
Otsukaresama desu |
Good job / Thanks for your hard work |
Very common in work or collaboration. |
📅 Day 1: The Initialization
Jan 24, 2026
🇭🇰 Cantonese Module
| Vocabulary / Phrase |
Romanization (Jyutping) |
Meaning |
Context |
| M-goi 唔该 |
m4 goi1 |
Thank you / Excuse me |
Service-related scenarios |
| Bin-dou 边度 |
bin1 dou6 |
Where? |
Asking for directions |
| Ho-sai-lei 好犀利 (猴赛雷雷) |
hou2 sai3 leoi6 |
Incredible / Awesome |
High praise for great work |
| Jo-san 早晨 |
zou2 san4 |
Good morning |
The most standard and common morning greeting. |
| Zok-jat 昨日 |
zok6 jat6 |
Yesterday |
Referring to the previous day. |
| Gam-jat 今日 |
gam1 jat6 |
Today |
Referring to the current day. |
| Ting-jat 听日 |
ting1 jat6 |
Tomorrow |
Referring to the following day. |
🏙️ Shanghainese Take-away
| Vocabulary / Phrase |
Romanization (Jyutping) |
Meaning |
Context |
| Zok-nyih 昨捏 |
zok6 nyih8 |
Yesterday |
The more colloquial and common way to say “Yesterday” in Shanghai. |
| Jin-zao 今朝 |
jin1 zau1 |
Today |
The standard way to say ““Today”” in Shanghainese. |
| Min-zao 明朝 |
min2 zau1 |
Tomorrow |
Referring to the next day. |
🇯🇵 Japanese Vocabulary: Essential Nouns & Verbs
| Kanji (汉字) |
Hiragana (平假名) |
Romanization |
Meaning |
Notes & Context |
| 元気 |
げんき |
genki |
Healthy / Energetic |
Used in “O-genki desu ka?” (How are you?). |
| 犬 |
いぬ |
inu |
Dog |
As in “Shiba Inu” (柴犬). |
| 猫 |
ねこ |
neko |
Cat |
A common trope in anime and folklore. |
| 秋 |
あき |
aki |
Autumn |
Famous for “Momiji” (red maple leaves) |
| 雪 |
ゆき |
yuki |
Snow |
Associated with winter and “Yuki-onna”. |
| 死ぬ |
しぬ |
shinu |
To die |
A blunt verb; use “nakunaru” (亡くなる) for politeness. |
🇯🇵 五十音图 (Gojuon) Reference Table
| Row |
あ-段 (a) |
い-段 (i) |
う-段 (u) |
え-段 (e) |
お-段 (o) |
| あ-行 |
あ ア (a) |
い イ (i) |
う ウ (u) |
え エ (e) |
お オ (o) |
| か-行 |
か カ (ka) |
き キ (ki) |
く ク (ku) |
け ケ (ke) |
こ コ (ko) |
| さ-行 |
さ サ (sa) |
し シ (shi) |
す ス (su) |
せ セ (se) |
そ ソ (so) |
| た-行 |
た タ (ta) |
ち チ (chi) |
つ ツ (tsu) |
て テ (te) |
と ト (to) |
| な-行 |
な ナ (na) |
に ニ (ni) |
ぬ ヌ (nu) |
ね ネ (ne) |
の ノ (no) |
| は-行 |
は ハ (ha) |
ひ ヒ (hi) |
ふ フ (fu) |
へ ヘ (he) |
ほ ホ (ho) |
| ま-行 |
ま マ (ma) |
み ミ (mi) |
む ム (mu) |
め メ (me) |
も モ (mo) |
| や-行 |
や ヤ (ya) |
|
ゆ ユ (yu) |
|
よ ヨ (yo) |
| ら-行 |
ら ラ (ra) |
り リ (ri) |
る ル (ru) |
れ レ (re) |
ろ ロ (ro) |
| わ-行 |
わ ワ (wa) |
|
|
|
を ヲ (wo) |
| 拨音 |
ん ン (n) |
|
|
|
|
💡 Notes for Memory
- Hiragana (平假名): Used for native Japanese words and grammar.
- Katakana (片假名): Used for foreign loanwords (essential for tech terms!).
- Romanization (罗马字): The phonetic guide in brackets.