熱 / 热
jit⁶
熱 / 热 (jit⁶) is the Cantonese word for hot.
熱 / 热 is used to describe something having a high temperature. To express that something is very hot, place the adverb 好 (hou2) before the adjective, resulting in 好熱. In Cantonese slang, the character 焗 is used to describe heat or intense sensations.
Meaning: having a high temperature (adj)
Which one should you use?
熱 / 热 (jit6) specifically implies a high or uncomfortable temperature. This differs from 暖 (nyun5), which is used to describe a pleasant, warm temperature.
How do you pronounce it?
jit⁶
Did you know?
- When talking about a 'hot' or 'popular' song, Cantonese uses the word 熱門 (jit6 mun4), which translates literally to 'hot door'.
- Unlike English, where 'hot' can mean sexually attractive, using 熱 (jit6) to describe a person in Cantonese would likely be misunderstood as them having a fever.
- The word 熱 is used in the phrase 熱鬧 (jit6 nou6) to describe a bustling, lively atmosphere, combining 'hot' with 'noisy'.
Examples in context
- 今日好熱啊！It's very hot today!
- 佢係個網紅，炙手可熱！He's an internet celebrity, incredibly popular!
- 呢碗泡椒雞翼好熱辣！These Sichuan chili chicken wings are super spicy!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hot” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
