忙
mong⁴
The English word 'busy' is expressed in Cantonese as 忙 (mong⁴). Wiktionary also lists 唔得閒 / 唔得闲 (m⁴ dak¹ haan⁴).
Meaning: engaged or preoccupied (adj)
Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 忙 | mong⁴ |
| 唔得閒 / 唔得闲 | m⁴ dak¹ haan⁴ |
The primary way to express being engaged or preoccupied is with the adjective 忙. You can also use the phrase 唔得閒 to communicate that you are busy by stating you do not have free time. This phrase is often used as a polite way to decline an invitation or a request, implying that your schedule is currently too full.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 唔得閒 literally means 'not get free time'.
Which one should you use?
While 忙 is the direct adjective for 'busy', 唔得閒 is a very common way to express being busy by saying one 'does not have free time'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To form a question about whether someone is busy, you can repeat the adjective with 唔 (not) in the middle: 忙唔忙 (mong4 m4 mong4), which means 'busy or not busy'.
How do you pronounce it?
mong⁴
Did you know?
- If you want to say you are 'very busy', you might use the word 迫 (bik1), which literally means 'to force' or 'to squeeze'. It suggests your schedule is so tight that you are being squeezed by your tasks.
- The character 閒 in 唔得閒 originally referred to a gateway or a fence, symbolizing the 'space' or 'gap' one has in their schedule.
- In high-pressure business environments in Cantonese culture, claiming to be 忙 can sometimes be a status symbol, implying that one is important and in demand.
Examples in context
- 你最近忙唔忙呀？Have you been busy lately?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has been busy lately using 忙.Tatoeba #385677 by nickyeow, translation #3630174 by sarefo
- 佢成日都咁忙嘅。He's always busy.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is always busy using 忙.Tatoeba #1692316 by kaenif, translation #1691357 by aka_aj
- 佢問我係咪好忙。He asked me if I was busy.This sentence is useful for reporting that someone asked if a person was busy using 忙.Tatoeba #5373620 by nickyeow, translation #297717 by CK
- 我好忙，暫時未能幫到你。(ngo5 hou2 mang4, zaam6 si4 mei6 nang4 bong1 dou3 nei5.)I'm really busy and can't help you at the moment.
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking on the phone about work.
- 俊傑 Chun Kit你今日忙唔忙呀？nei5 gam1 jat6 mong4 m4 mong4 aa3?Are you busy today?
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung我今日好忙。ngo5 gam1 jat6 hou2 mong4.I am very busy today.
- 俊傑 Chun Kit咁你遲啲先搵我。gam2 nei5 ci4 di1 sin1 wan2 ngo5.Then find me later.
- 曉彤 Hiu Tung好呀，聽日見。hou2 aa3, ting1 jat6 gin3.Okay, see you tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “busy” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
