wu1 dang1 hak1 fo2烏燈黑火乌灯黑火
Jyutpingwu1 dang1 hak1 fo2
Yalewū dāng hāk fó
Definition
Pitch-black; completely dark and lightless.
colloquialdescriptionsplaces
How it's used
This idiom is used to describe a place that is uncomfortably or suspiciously dark, often implying that the lack of light is inconvenient or eerie. It carries a stronger sense of total darkness compared to simply using the word 暗. You will often hear it used when someone is complaining about poor lighting conditions or trying to navigate a space without a lamp.
Examples
The room is pitch black, what are you looking for?
Related words
Common phrases
working in pitch darkness
Common mistake
Learners sometimes try to use this to describe a dark color, but it specifically refers to the absence of light in a physical environment. It is not used to describe dark clothing or dark skin tones.
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.
