hong1 naai5 hing1康乃馨
Jyutpinghong1 naai5 hing1
Yalehōng náaih hīng
Definition
Carnation or clove pink; a flower symbolizing warmth and a popular gift for mothers.
neutralnaturefamily
How it's used
Carnations are culturally synonymous with Mother's Day in Hong Kong, much like in many other parts of the world. While you might see them in other contexts, they are almost exclusively associated with expressing gratitude towards mothers or female elders. Using them for romantic gestures is less common compared to roses.
Measure word
zi1枝jīExamples
Giving carnations to mom on Mother's Day is the best choice.
Related words
Common phrases
give carnations
Mother's Day carnations
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
