the whole family be fortunate) are common variant but (to take/carry something) has little logical relations with the original phrase. Adding the words (whole family) in front of a blessing can actually reverse the meaning. The appropriate word for the whole family is to avoid any negative meanings. Legal issues In Hong Kong, there are specific by-laws that forbid the usage of profanity in public. For instance, it is not permitted to "use obscene language... in Ocean Park", for which "an offence is liable on conviction to a fine at level 1 and to imprisonment for 1 month", while in the MTR, it was prohibited to "use any threatening, abusive, obscene or offensive language". However, despite the explicit prohibition by various laws, the exact definition of "obscene language" is not given in the ordinance. See also Cantonese slang Hong Kong Cantonese Mandarin Chinese profanity Notes and references Notes References Part of Chapter 3 concerns Cantonese profanity. External links Cantonese words and phrases Culture of Hong Kong Languages of Hong Kong Profanity