我好掛住你 / 我好挂住你
ngo⁵ hou² gwaa³ zyu⁶ nei⁵
The English phrase "I miss you" is expressed in Cantonese as 我好掛住你 / 我好挂住你 (ngo⁵ hou² gwaa³ zyu⁶ nei⁵).
The verb 掛住 is used for missing people or thinking about someone, rather than missing a physical object or a missed opportunity.
Meaning: I miss you (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 我好掛住你 is composed of 我 (I), 好 (very/really), 掛住 (to miss/to be concerned about) and 你 (you).
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 我好掛住你, the word 好 acts as an adverb meaning 'very' or 'really' to intensify the feeling of missing someone.
How do you pronounce it?
ngo⁵ hou² gwaa³ zyu⁶ nei⁵
Did you know?
- In many Cantonese-speaking households, expressing 'I miss you' directly can feel overly sentimental or 'too much'. People often express the same feeling by asking 'Have you eaten yet?' (你食咗飯未? ) as a way to show they are thinking of your well-being.
- The verb 掛住 literally translates to 'to hang onto' or 'to be suspended' regarding a person. It evokes the image of one's heart or thoughts being 'hung up' on someone else.
- Adding 呀 at the end to make it 我好掛住你呀 softens the tone and makes the phrase sound more affectionate and less like a formal declaration.
Examples in context
- 你好耐冇見，想你好多啊！I haven't seen you in a long time, I miss you so much!
- 我都好想你，下次一齊出去玩啦！I miss you too, let's go out together next time!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I miss you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
