hong4骯肮
Jyutpinghong4
Yalehòhng
Definition
Dirty; filthy; soiled.
colloquialdescriptions
How it's used
While 骯 is technically a character for dirty, it is almost exclusively used in the compound 骯髒 in formal or written contexts. In everyday spoken Cantonese, people almost always use 污糟 to describe something that is dirty. Using 骯 alone as a standalone adjective in speech sounds unnatural or overly literary to most native speakers.
Examples
Your shoes are so dirty, hurry up and wipe them clean.
This place is so dirty, how can I sit down here?
Related words
Common phrases
dirty
Common mistake
Learners often try to use 骯 as a direct equivalent to the English adjective dirty, but it is rarely used as a single-character word in natural conversation. Stick to 污糟 for daily life to sound more authentic.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- NegationHow to say no, not, didn't, and don't in Cantonese. The four main negation words and when to use each one.
- Numbers and moneyCounting, talking about money, and asking how much things cost. Includes the two words for two and the everyday words for dollars and cents.
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
