hung1 hung1洶洶汹汹
Jyutpinghung1 hung1
Yalehūng hūng
Definition
Viciously; with a menacing, aggressive, or turbulent manner.
colloquialdescriptionsemotion
How it's used
Always appears in the four-character idiom 氣勢洶洶 to describe someone behaving in a threatening or overbearing manner. It conveys a sense of overwhelming, aggressive momentum that makes others feel intimidated. You will rarely hear it used as a standalone adjective outside of this specific set phrase.
Examples
They rushed in with a menacing air.
Why are you acting so aggressive?
Related words
Common phrases
aggressively and menacingly
Common mistake
Learners often try to use it to mean 'very' or 'intense' in a general sense, but it specifically refers to human aggression or a hostile atmosphere. Do not use it to describe inanimate objects like a strong wind or a heavy rain.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- 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.
- 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.
