Common ingredients for Hong Kong

These are common ingredients you may see on packaging and menus in Hong Kong. Local words are left unchanged so they stay readable in the original language; translate this page if you want supporting text and English names in your own language.

• 八角 (star anise)

  baat3 gok3

• 吉利丁 (gelatin)

  gat1 lei6 ding1

  Also known as 明膠 (ming4 gaau1).

• 味精 (monosodium glutamate)

  mei6 zing1

  Commonly used in 'cha chaan teng' cooking.

• 喼汁 (worcestershire sauce)

  gip1 zap1

  Essential for Cantonese-style fried dishes or dim sum.

• 奶粉 (milk powder)

  naai5 fan2

• 煉奶 (condensed milk)

  lin6 naai5

  Commonly served with toast or Hong Kong-style milk tea.

• 牛奶 (milk)

  ngau4 naai5

• 牛油 (beef fat)

  ngau4 jau4

  Often refers to butter, but sometimes beef fat in specific contexts.

• 牛油 (butter)

  ngau4 jau4

  Distinguished by context from beef tallow.

• 糖 (sugar)

  tong4

• 花奶 (evaporated milk)

  faa1 naai5

  Crucial ingredient for authentic Hong Kong-style milk tea.

• 花生醬 (peanut butter)

  faa1 sang1 zoeng3

  Commonly used in breakfast toasts.

• 蒜頭 (garlic)

  syun3 tau4

• 蔥 (scallion)

  cung1

• 薑 (ginger)

  goeng1

• 蝦 (shrimp)

  haa1

• 蠔油 (oyster sauce)

  hou4 jau4

  A staple condiment in Cantonese cuisine.

• 豬油 (lard)

  zyu1 jau4

  Often used in traditional dim sum or noodle stalls.

• 豬肉 (pork)

  zyu1 juk6

• 醬油 (soy sauce)

  soeng4 jau4

  Often labeled as 'Light Soy Sauce' (生抽) in HK recipes.

• 雞湯 (chicken broth)

  gai1 tong1

• 雞粉 (chicken bouillon)

  gai1 fan2

• 雞粉 (chicken bouillon powder)

  gai1 fan2

• 雞蛋 (egg)

  gai1 daan2

• 麻油 (sesame oil)

  maa4 jau4