hung6汞
Jyutpinghung6
Yalehuhng
Definition
Mercury; a toxic metallic chemical element with atomic number 80 and symbol Hg that is liquid at standard temperature and pressure.
writtenother
How it's used
Use 水銀 in almost every daily context as it is the standard term for the element. The character 汞 is primarily reserved for scientific, technical, or formal writing where precision is required. It is rarely spoken aloud in casual conversation, as most people will instinctively reach for the more common term.
Examples
There is mercury inside the mercury thermometer.
Mercury is a very dangerous type of metal.
Related words
Common phrases
mercury thermometer
Common mistake
Do not use 汞 in spoken Cantonese, as it sounds overly formal or academic. Stick to 水銀 to ensure you are understood clearly by native speakers.
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.
