hung4 buk1 buk1紅卜卜红卜卜
Jyutpinghung4 buk1 buk1
Yalehùhng būk būk
Definition
Reddish, ruddy, or rosy, especially of the face or cheeks.
colloquialbodydescriptions
How it's used
Reduplication of adjectives like this is a classic way to add vividness in Cantonese. While it often describes the healthy, rosy glow of a child's face, it is frequently used to describe skin irritation or dryness caused by cold or windy weather. It implies a surface-level redness rather than a deep or internal inflammation.
Examples
The weather is dry, and the girl's cheeks are flushed red.
Related words
Common phrases
cheeks are flushed red
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with describing something that is naturally red, like a red apple or a red shirt. This specific phrase is almost exclusively used for human skin, particularly cheeks, and carries a connotation of being affected by external environmental factors.
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.
