tong1 fong4劏房
Jyutpingtong1 fong4
Yaletōng fòhng
Definition
Subdivided housing unit; an apartment partitioned into several smaller, separate units for rent.
colloquialhomepeople
How it's used
This term carries a strong social connotation in Hong Kong, often highlighting the city's severe housing crisis and wealth inequality. It specifically refers to the practice of partitioning a single flat into multiple tiny, often substandard living spaces. While it is a common topic in news and political discourse, it is also used naturally in everyday conversation when discussing rent or living conditions.
Measure word
gaan1間gānExamples
His family of four lives in a subdivided unit.
Related words
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with a regular flat or studio apartment. The term specifically implies a cramped, partitioned space that was originally part of a larger unit, rather than a purpose-built small apartment.
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.
