ming4 keoi4明渠

Jyutpingming4 keoi4

Yalemìhng kèuih

名詞

Definition

An open-air drainage channel or nullah designed to carry rainwater and prevent flooding.

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How it's used

The term nullah is a loanword from Hindi that became standard in Hong Kong English and Cantonese to describe these specific open-air drainage channels. While technically functioning as storm drains, they are often large, concrete-lined structures that look like canals. In recent years, urban planning has shifted towards revitalizing these spaces into green corridors, moving away from the purely functional concrete look of the past.

Measure word

tiu4條tìuh

Examples

ni1呢tiu4條ming4明keoi4渠ping4平si4時mou5冇mat1乜seoi2水。

There is not much water in this nullah usually.

nei5你zi1知m4唔zi1知ni1呢tiu4條ming4明keoi4渠tung1通heoi3去bin1邊aa4呀？

Do you know where this nullah leads to?

Common phrases

ming4明keoi4渠goi2改sin6善gung1工cing4程

nullah improvement works

si5市keoi1區ming4明keoi4渠

urban nullah

Common mistake

Do not confuse this with a standard underground sewer or pipe, which is simply called 渠. A 明渠 must be open to the air and typically refers to a large-scale water channel rather than a small street-level drain.