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Cantonese grammar · A1

The Adverb '好'

Alexander StebnerCreator of Lingora · Updated 19 October 2026
2 min readComments

(hou2hóuhou2) means "very" but also serves as a required filler before a lone adjective, even without emphasis. (ngo5 hou2 hou2ngóh hóu hóungo5 hou2 hou2) simply means "I'm fine," not "I'm very fine." Without (hou2hóuhou2), a bare adjective sounds incomplete.

For stronger emphasis, use (hou2hóuhou2) with sentence-final particles: (hou2 leng2 a3hóu léng ahou2 leu2 a3) — so pretty!

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Cantonese course

64 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 4. A few of them, with the words “The Adverb '好'” is about in bold:

  • 我好好啊！我冇病。我好健康。

    ngo5 hou2·hou2 aa3! ngo5 mou5 beng6. ngo5 hou2 gin6·hong1.ngóh hóu·hóu a! ngóh móuh behng. ngóh hóu gihn·hōng.ngo5 hou2·hou2 aa3! ngo5 mou5 beu6. ngo5 hou2 gin6·hong1.

    I feel great! I am not sick. I am healthy.

    Lesson 64

  • 你好搞笑。我覺得你好搞笑。

    nei5 hou2 gaau2·siu3. ngo5 gok3·dak1 nei5 hou2 gaau2·siu3.néih hóu gáau·siu. ngóh gok·dāk néih hóu gáau·siu.nei5 hou2 gaau2·siu3. ngo5 gok8·dak7 nei5 hou2 gaau2·siu3.

    You are funny. I think you are funny.

    Lesson 169

  • 我喺街市。好繁忙。

    ngo5 hai2 gaai1·si5. hou2 faan4·mong4.ngóh hái gāai·síh. hóu fàahn·mòhng.ngo5 hai2 gaai1·si5. hou2 faan4·mong4.

    I am at the market. It is very busy.

    Lesson 249

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