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B2 · Lesson 2

Understanding HK Films

睇港產片
What you will learn

Explore the golden age and modern era of Hong Kong cinema through Cantonese. Learn film vocabulary, discuss genres, analyse characters, and understand the cultural references that make HK films iconic.

Dialogue

Conversation

A
你鍾意睇咩類型嘅港產片呀？
What type of Hong Kong films do you like watching?
B
我最鍾意警匪片同武俠片，好似無間道同黃飛鴻系列。
I love crime thrillers and martial arts films, like Infernal Affairs and the Wong Fei-hung series.
A
無間道真係經典，劇情好複雜但係每個角色都好有深度。
Infernal Affairs is truly a classic, the plot is complex but every character has great depth.
B
冇錯，梁朝偉同劉德華嘅演技真係入木三分。
Exactly, Tony Leung and Andy Lau acting is truly phenomenal.
A
你有冇睇過周星馳嘅喜劇？佢嗰種無厘頭嘅風格好獨特。
Have you watched Stephen Chow comedies? His nonsensical style is very unique.
B
梗係睇過啦！食神同少林足球百睇唔厭。佢嘅對白好抵死。
Of course! God of Cookery and Shaolin Soccer never get old. His dialogue is hilarious.
A
可惜而家港產片嘅產量少咗好多，黃金時代已經過去。
Unfortunately HK film output has decreased a lot now, the golden age has passed.
B
但係偶爾都有佳作出現，好似近年幾套新導演嘅作品都好有誠意。
But occasionally good works still appear, like several new directors recent works that show great sincerity.
Vocabulary

Key Words & Phrases

港產片
Hong Kong film
警匪片
crime / cops and robbers film
武俠片
martial arts film
喜劇
comedy
經典
classic
劇情
plot / storyline
角色
character / role
演技
acting skills
無厘頭
nonsensical / absurdist (comedy style)
對白
dialogue (in film)
導演
director
黃金時代
golden age
Grammar

Language Patterns

入木三分 (penetrating / masterful — idiom)

入木三分 (jap6 muk6 saam1 fan1) literally means "penetrating three-tenths into wood". Used to praise writing, acting, or analysis that is deeply insightful and powerful.
佢嘅分析入木三分。
keoi5 ge3 fan1 sik1 jap6 muk6 saam1 fan1.
His analysis is deeply insightful.
呢篇文章寫得入木三分。
ni1 pin1 man4 zoeng1 se2 dak1 jap6 muk6 saam1 fan1.
This article is written with great depth.

百 verb 唔厭 (never tire of verbing)

百 (baak3) + verb + 唔厭 (m4 jim3) means "do it a hundred times and never get tired of it". Expresses something you can enjoy repeatedly.
呢首歌百聽唔厭。
ni1 sau2 go1 baak3 teng1 m4 jim3.
This song never gets old no matter how many times you listen.
呢碟菜百食唔厭。
ni1 dip6 coi3 baak3 sik6 m4 jim3.
This dish never gets boring.

可惜 (unfortunately / what a pity)

可惜 (ho2 sik1) introduces a regrettable fact. Place it at the start of a clause. More literary than 好可惜.
可惜佢冇嚟。
ho2 sik1 keoi5 mou5 lai4.
Unfortunately he did not come.
可惜呢間店就嚟結業。
ho2 sik1 ni1 gaan1 dim3 zau6 lai4 git3 jip6.
Unfortunately this shop is about to close down.

偶爾 (occasionally / once in a while)

偶爾 (ngau5 ji5) is a more formal way to say "occasionally". More literary than 有時, used in written and semi-formal speech.
偶爾去下旅行都好嘅。
ngau5 ji5 heoi3 haa5 leoi5 hang4 dou1 hou2 ge3.
Going on a trip once in a while is good.
佢偶爾會返嚟探我哋。
keoi5 ngau5 ji5 wui5 faan1 lai4 taam3 ngo5 dei6.
He occasionally comes back to visit us.
Practice

Test Your Knowledge

Fill_blank · Question 1
呢套戲百睇 ___。 (never get tired of)
  • 唔厭
  • 唔到
  • 唔完
  • 唔起
Answer
唔厭
Translate · Question 2
Unfortunately the golden age of HK films has passed.
Answer
可惜港產片嘅黃金時代已經過去。
Choice · Question 3
What is 無厘頭 comedy?
  • nonsensical / absurdist humour
  • romantic comedy
  • dark comedy
  • slapstick
Answer
nonsensical / absurdist humour
Fill_blank · Question 4
佢嘅演技真係 ___。 (deeply masterful — idiom)
  • 入木三分
  • 一模一樣
  • 五花八門
  • 半信半疑
Answer
入木三分
Translate · Question 5
Stephen Chow nonsensical comedy style is very unique.
Answer
周星馳嘅無厘頭喜劇風格好獨特。

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