man6 hou6問號问号
Jyutpingman6 hou6
Yalemahn houh
Definition
Question mark; the punctuation mark used at the end of a question.
neutralcommunication
How it's used
Beyond its literal use in writing, this term is frequently used metaphorically to express doubt or suspicion about a person or situation. Saying someone has a question mark over their head implies they look confused or uncertain. It is also common to describe a situation as having a big question mark when the outcome or truth remains unclear.
Measure word
go3個goExamples
You need to add a question mark after that sentence.
Why is there an extra question mark here?
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the English word question mark when speaking; while many Hong Kongers understand the English term, using the Cantonese term is necessary for natural communication in a local context.
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.
