hong2 fo3行貨行货
Jyutpinghong2 fo3
Yalehóng fo
Definition
Ordinary, subpar, or hastily produced work of poor quality.
colloquialworkdescriptions
How it's used
Originally referring to parallel imports or official goods, the term shifted in meaning to describe work done with the bare minimum effort required to pass. It carries a strong sense of disappointment because the person clearly had the ability to do better but chose to cut corners. It is frequently used in professional or academic settings to critique someone who is just going through the motions.
Examples
This report you did is very subpar, go back and revise it.
He always just turns in half-hearted work, he lacks sincerity.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of official goods or parallel imports, which is how the term is used in retail contexts. When used to describe a person's work, it is strictly derogatory and implies laziness or a lack of passion.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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Adjective
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Grammar guides
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
- Possession (嘅)How to say my, your, and his, and how to link a describing word to a noun, all with the little word 嘅 (ge3).
