ngai4 hung4霓虹

Jyutpingngai4 hung4

Yalengàih hùhng

名詞Uncommon

Definition

Neon light or a type of secondary rainbow with reversed colors.

neon light
technicalsecondary rainbow with colors reversed by double reflection

neutralplacesdescriptions

How it's used

While 霓虹 can technically refer to a secondary rainbow in meteorological contexts, it is almost exclusively used in modern Cantonese to refer to neon lights or neon signage. The term evokes a strong sense of nostalgia for the classic, vibrant streetscapes of old Hong Kong. It is frequently paired with 燈 to clarify the meaning when referring to artificial lighting.

Examples

je6夜maan5晚tai2睇dou3到hou2好do1多ngai4霓hung4虹dang1燈sim2閃haa5下sim2閃haa5下。

I see many neon lights flickering at night.

go2嗰go3個ngai4霓hung4虹ziu1招paai4牌hou2好daai6大hou2好coeng2搶ngaan5眼aa4呀。

That neon sign is huge and very eye-catching.

Common phrases

ngai4霓hung4虹dang1燈

neon light

ngai4霓hung4虹ziu1招paai4牌

neon sign

Common mistake

Learners often confuse 霓虹 with 彩虹. Remember that 彩虹 is the standard word for a primary rainbow, whereas 霓虹 is specifically associated with urban neon lighting or the rarer, fainter secondary rainbow.