hung1 heoi1空虛空虚
Jyutpinghung1 heoi1
Yalehūng hēui
Definition
Empty, hollow, and meaningless; typically describing one's feelings, mind, or life.
colloquialemotion
How it's used
Describes a specific sense of existential boredom or a lack of purpose rather than just being bored. It often implies a deeper, lingering dissatisfaction with one's current state of life or emotional well-being. While it can describe a physical space, it is overwhelmingly used to talk about the internal state of a person.
Examples
I've been feeling so empty lately, I don't know what to do.
Are you going out all the time because your life feels too empty?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe physical hunger or a literal empty container, as it is reserved for abstract or emotional states. Use 肚餓 for hunger or 冇嘢 for an empty object instead.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
