hung4 mou4 gwai2紅毛鬼红毛鬼
Jyutpinghung4 mou4 gwai2
Yalehùhng mòuh gwái
Definition
A derogatory term for Westerners, typically white people.
colloquialpeople
How it's used
Historically rooted in the early encounters between Chinese and Europeans, this term reflects a time when foreigners were viewed with suspicion or hostility. While some older generations might use it casually, it is widely considered offensive and xenophobic today. Using it in professional or polite settings will likely cause significant offense and make the speaker appear uneducated or prejudiced.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
That Westerner speaks Cantonese very fluently.
Why are you being so rude calling people Red Hair Ghosts?
Related words
Common phrases
Red Hair Devils (a more aggressive variation)
Common mistake
Learners often mistake this for a neutral term for Westerners. It is a derogatory slur, and using it in casual conversation can be perceived as an intentional insult rather than a simple descriptor.
Grammar color guide
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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).
