Ways to say it
| Cantonese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 行 | haang⁴ |
| 行路 | haang⁴ lou⁶ |
The term 行 is a general verb meaning to move on one's feet. It is frequently used to mean 'to go' or 'to move' in a general direction. When you want to specifically refer to the act of walking on a path or road, often to distinguish it from driving or riding, use the colloquial phrase 行路. To describe the act of taking a casual, brief stroll, you can use the informal phrase 行下.
Which one should you use?
While 行 is the standard verb for both walking and moving/going, 行路 is a more specific colloquialism for the physical act of walking on a road. For more specific contexts, formal terms include 行走 for general walking, 散步 for a leisurely stroll, 踏步 for disciplined walking like marching and 徒步 when emphasizing walking as a means of transportation or travel.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe a state where someone is physically unable to walk or move due to injury or extreme exhaustion, the colloquial construction 行唔郁 is used.
How do you pronounce it?
haang⁴
Did you know?
- In Cantonese, 行 can mean 'okay' or 'acceptable' when used as an adjective. For example, if a plan is good, a speaker might simply say 行得.
- The character 行 can also refer to a 'professional guild' or a specific trade, such as in the word for a 'bank' 銀行. This relates to the historical organization of merchants into rows of shops.
- The colloquial expression 行唔郁 describes a state where one 'cannot walk', but it is frequently used metaphorically to describe being frozen or paralyzed by shock.
Examples in context
- 我攰到行唔郁喇。I'm so tired that I can't walk any longer.This sentence shows how to use 行 to describe being unable to walk due to exhaustion.Tatoeba #403771 by nickyeow, translation #37762 by CM
- 唔好自己一個行返屋企。Don't walk home alone.This sentence uses 行 to advise against walking home alone.Tatoeba #5761104 by nickyeow, translation #5720600 by CK
- 阿湯恁住自己行返屋企。Tom is going to walk home by himself.This sentence uses 行 to describe the act of walking home.Tatoeba #12086687 by thesilhouette, translation #7732169 by CK
- 31 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ka Ming and Mei Ling are deciding how to get to the park.
- 家明 Ka Ming我哋行去公園好唔好？ngo5 dei6 hang4 heoi3 gung1 jyun2 hou2 m4 hou2?How about we walk to the park?
- 美玲 Mei Ling好呀，行路可以睇下風景。hou2 aa3, hang4 lou6 ho2 ji5 tai2 haa2 fung1 ging2.Sure, walking allows us to see the scenery.
- 家明 Ka Ming行幾耐先到？hang4 gei2 noi6 sin1 dou3?How long does it take to walk there?
- 美玲 Mei Ling大約十分鐘就到。daai6 joek3 sap6 fan1 zung1 zau6 dou3.It takes about ten minutes.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “walk” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
