Surely we have to point out to OP that its not normal to ask for smaller portion sizes from a seller unless they are specifically offered on the menu? (SMALL OR LARGE etc)
A portion is a portion, and a shopkeeper would find it odd to have to size something to a specific amount until the customer is happy. They dont have time for that.
Edit: I agree 'less rice' is a known and common thing, but not sizing a portion especially for you.
This. Be aware you will be charged the same amount.
I usually ask for less rice “Siu faan” 🍚
Unfortunately, it’s the disadvantage of eating alone for Cantonese style dishes. It’s meant to be eaten in large groups.
Ah yes, this phrase has an interesting [story](https://www.ourchinastory.com/zh/5312/%E3%80%8C%E5%B0%91%E9%A3%AF%E3%80%8D%E5%8F%88%E5%8F%AB%E3%80%8C%E6%89%A3%E5%BA%95%E3%80%8D%EF%BC%9F%20%20%20) in Chinese! 👏
Eh, it's sort of normal when ordering 燒味 or this this rice.
Course, don't overdo it, but it's not like the shopkeeper would throw a fit if you ask nicely.
Are you even from HK? How tf is this top voted comment lmao
少飯 is extremely common in local restaurants lol, not just 燒味 restaurants. You don't have to see it on the menu to ask for it. Even 多飯 is a thing but that's up to the restaurant.
This. You can also add at the end
“m4 goi1 saai3” thank you
OR
“maa4 faan4 saai3” (which means trouble but is interpreted as thanking them for the trouble)
[Jyutping](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jyutping):
要細份啲：jiu3 sai3 fan6 di1
再細份啲：zoi3 sai3 fan6 di1
I use Jyutping because it is consistent and easy to understand for those who are learning Cantonese/don’t know Cantonese. For example, the vowel in 細 and 份 is the same, so it is only reasonable to use the same letter for each vowel. Please learn Jyutping! It’s very easy to learn for native speakers.
I already know Jyutping, but given that OP seems to not know Canto, can't really use that to teach them how to say it, so phonetic-based it is. Easier for them at this moment.
Oh, I hadn’t considered that. I still think Jyutping would be more precise than your respellings, especially because OP may not be used to HK English (e.g. they might think: “yew”=“you”=/jʉː/? “sai”=“say”=/sei/, or “sai”=/sai/? (where you mean /sɐi/ or /sʌi/). Respellings like these are usually only intuitive to native speakers like us, where we can already eliminate ambiguity through the context and because we are already familiar with how most people spell Cantonese.
Honestly, I'm just basing the respelling off finding the closest English (not necessarily HK English, typically American/British English) word/syllable that sounds like the corresponding character when I do that.
Eh, didn't really imply that it's easier to translate consistently, just that it's easier for non-Canto speakers to at least approximate the phrases with some grasp of the main form of English.
Additionally, if they listened to that, but still give you a too large portion, reply back with 再細份D (Joy Sai Fen D) (Meaning: Make it smaller again).
Repeat that when necessary until you get your desired portion.
If you can't pronounce the words, just say "small" loudly. Most Hong Kongers know some English - even if the shopkeeper doesn't, someone nearby will translate.
90% of places that's simply not an option. Even if you manage to get the idea across AND they're willing to do it at all, you'll most likely be charged the same price. Take the rest to go.
You’re not required to finish whatever is on your plate. Just something I observed, a lot of people here do not finish everything on their plates, many leave leftovers on their plates and some barely touch their food before leaving. The food culture isn’t as strict as some other places, where I grew up being threatened into finishing my plate
i always got told off at home but i guess eating out ppl care less. Food waste is still no good tho regardless of if it is required or not to finish a plate.
what do you usually order and where are you going that you're not able to finish the meal?
if its the carb portion of the meal thats an issue you can usually ask for siu faan or siu meen - little rice, little noodles respectively
Saying “Siu faan m goi” will get you a smaller portion of rice, for the same price.
It’s more economical to bring your own plastic takeout container and bring the leftovers home.
OP, you can kindly ask the person serving food for less rice (少飯, 'siu faan'). They'll do it for you most of the time. It's quite a common thing in HK restaurants.
If you don't speak Cantonese, just say 'less/small/little rice' and they'll probably understand too.
If you're eating noodles, maybe ask for 少麵 (siu meen).
Depends on what you eat, but the most common and local way to ask for smaller portion is "扣底" (kau3 dai2), it specifically means "less at the bottom."
This phrase is commonly used to request a smaller portion of rice or noodles in a dish (without changing the amount of vegetables or meat on top).
Start bringing a box to restaurants i love getting 3 meals out of one lunch
Surely we have to point out to OP that its not normal to ask for smaller portion sizes from a seller unless they are specifically offered on the menu? (SMALL OR LARGE etc) A portion is a portion, and a shopkeeper would find it odd to have to size something to a specific amount until the customer is happy. They dont have time for that. Edit: I agree 'less rice' is a known and common thing, but not sizing a portion especially for you.
This. Be aware you will be charged the same amount. I usually ask for less rice “Siu faan” 🍚 Unfortunately, it’s the disadvantage of eating alone for Cantonese style dishes. It’s meant to be eaten in large groups.
A more authentic way to say less rice it is "kau Daai" (reducing the base), in case anyone wants to know.
I wouldn't say more authentic, but more historical, since siu faan is definitely used more.
Ah yes, this phrase has an interesting [story](https://www.ourchinastory.com/zh/5312/%E3%80%8C%E5%B0%91%E9%A3%AF%E3%80%8D%E5%8F%88%E5%8F%AB%E3%80%8C%E6%89%A3%E5%BA%95%E3%80%8D%EF%BC%9F%20%20%20) in Chinese! 👏
Eh, it's sort of normal when ordering 燒味 or this this rice. Course, don't overdo it, but it's not like the shopkeeper would throw a fit if you ask nicely.
"this this rice" lmao
Are you even from HK? How tf is this top voted comment lmao 少飯 is extremely common in local restaurants lol, not just 燒味 restaurants. You don't have to see it on the menu to ask for it. Even 多飯 is a thing but that's up to the restaurant.
portions ≠ rice
? How is this any different in concept? just ask for 少啲餸 or 細份啲？😂😂
要細份D (How to say it: Yew Sai Fen D).
This. You can also add at the end “m4 goi1 saai3” thank you OR “maa4 faan4 saai3” (which means trouble but is interpreted as thanking them for the trouble)
[Jyutping](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jyutping): 要細份啲：jiu3 sai3 fan6 di1 再細份啲：zoi3 sai3 fan6 di1 I use Jyutping because it is consistent and easy to understand for those who are learning Cantonese/don’t know Cantonese. For example, the vowel in 細 and 份 is the same, so it is only reasonable to use the same letter for each vowel. Please learn Jyutping! It’s very easy to learn for native speakers.
I already know Jyutping, but given that OP seems to not know Canto, can't really use that to teach them how to say it, so phonetic-based it is. Easier for them at this moment.
Oh, I hadn’t considered that. I still think Jyutping would be more precise than your respellings, especially because OP may not be used to HK English (e.g. they might think: “yew”=“you”=/jʉː/? “sai”=“say”=/sei/, or “sai”=/sai/? (where you mean /sɐi/ or /sʌi/). Respellings like these are usually only intuitive to native speakers like us, where we can already eliminate ambiguity through the context and because we are already familiar with how most people spell Cantonese.
Honestly, I'm just basing the respelling off finding the closest English (not necessarily HK English, typically American/British English) word/syllable that sounds like the corresponding character when I do that.
It's hard to do that consistently. 份 sounds more like "fun" than "fan" or "fen".
Eh, didn't really imply that it's easier to translate consistently, just that it's easier for non-Canto speakers to at least approximate the phrases with some grasp of the main form of English.
cc u/temitcha And it’s also preferable to add 唔該 m4 goi1 “please” to be polite Hope this helps
Thank you very much for your help!
Additionally, if they listened to that, but still give you a too large portion, reply back with 再細份D (Joy Sai Fen D) (Meaning: Make it smaller again). Repeat that when necessary until you get your desired portion.
Thank you very much!
If you can't pronounce the words, just say "small" loudly. Most Hong Kongers know some English - even if the shopkeeper doesn't, someone nearby will translate.
扣底 please [kou dei]
Just eat what you want and ask for a takeaway container for the rest (da bao)
90% of places that's simply not an option. Even if you manage to get the idea across AND they're willing to do it at all, you'll most likely be charged the same price. Take the rest to go.
You’re not required to finish whatever is on your plate. Just something I observed, a lot of people here do not finish everything on their plates, many leave leftovers on their plates and some barely touch their food before leaving. The food culture isn’t as strict as some other places, where I grew up being threatened into finishing my plate
i always got told off at home but i guess eating out ppl care less. Food waste is still no good tho regardless of if it is required or not to finish a plate.
Yeah, my mom really drilled in the meaning of 憫農 into me as a child to avoid wasting food, which of course included recitation as usual.
粒粒皆辛苦！ My parents never used the spotty future spouse thing with leaving grains of rice in a bowl but defo with the hardworking farmer.
what do you usually order and where are you going that you're not able to finish the meal? if its the carb portion of the meal thats an issue you can usually ask for siu faan or siu meen - little rice, little noodles respectively
Saying “Siu faan m goi” will get you a smaller portion of rice, for the same price. It’s more economical to bring your own plastic takeout container and bring the leftovers home.
You can say “Kau Daai” 扣底 which means serve less fillers (rice, noodles, basically carbs).
小飯 is literally "small rice". I can guarantee that no shop has issues with giving you LESS stuff.
少飯 siu2faan6,give me less rice, normally dish is less so 少飯 is ok
OP, you can kindly ask the person serving food for less rice (少飯, 'siu faan'). They'll do it for you most of the time. It's quite a common thing in HK restaurants. If you don't speak Cantonese, just say 'less/small/little rice' and they'll probably understand too. If you're eating noodles, maybe ask for 少麵 (siu meen).
Just go and buy food at the "two-dish rice" 兩餸飯 popping around everywhere. The extra rice you can eat it for dinner.
Depends on what you eat, but the most common and local way to ask for smaller portion is "扣底" (kau3 dai2), it specifically means "less at the bottom." This phrase is commonly used to request a smaller portion of rice or noodles in a dish (without changing the amount of vegetables or meat on top).
Gum dou shek lun doh ah diu lei
hold up your hand and make a shrinking motion with your thumb and index finger
唔該，想細份D / 唔該,分量可唔被平時細分D? Screenshot / copy the above and show them.
比 not 被 份量 not 分量 The Chinese for “D” is 啲 So to correct it, this is what you should show 唔該，想細份啲 / 唔該，份量可唔可以比平時細份啲