嗰個 (go2 go3)

Hesitation Placeholder

Level 5Sounds Like go3 go3

嗰個 (go2 go3) is the most common 'filler' word in Cantonese. While it literally means 'that one', in conversation it acts as a mental search signal, telling the listener: 'I have a specific word in mind, but I need a second to find it.'

How It Works

In spontaneous speech, speakers often experience a 'tip-of-the-tongue' moment. 嗰個 (go2 go3) fills that gap.

Key characteristics include:

  • Syntactic Position: It is placed exactly where the noun would go. For example, 'I want to buy [filler] screwdriver.'
  • Repetition: To buy more time, speakers often repeat it: go2 go3... go2 go3...
  • Phonological Stretching: The first syllable is often lengthened (gooooo2 go3) to signal the search is ongoing.
  • Register: This is strictly informal. You will hear it constantly in daily life, but you should never use it in formal writing or prepared speeches.
  • Classifier Variation: While 個 (go3) is the default, if a speaker knows the category of the word they are looking for, they might use a specific classifier like go2 gaan1... (that [building]...) or go2 bun2... (that [book]...).

Examples (3)

  1. 嗰個... 嗰個... 叫咩名話？

    That... um... what's the name again?

    Word by Word: That one... that one... call what name (particle)?

    Here, the speaker is trying to recall a specific person's name and uses the filler to hold their turn in the conversation.

  2. 我想買嗰個... 嗰個... 螺絲批呀。

    I want to buy that... uh... screwdriver.

    Word by Word: I want buy that one... that one... screwdriver (particle).

    The speaker knows what they want but can't immediately retrieve the word for 'screwdriver' (lo4 si1 pai1).

  3. 琴日我見到嗰個呢... 嗰個陳生呀嘛。

    Yesterday I saw that... you know... that Mr. Chan.

    Word by Word: Yesterday I see-finish that one (particle)... that one Mr. Chan (particle).

    The particle 呢 (ne1) is often added to the filler to further soften the hesitation and engage the listener.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the filler in formal writing.

    我哋應該考慮嗰個... 嗰個發展計劃。
    我們應該考慮該項發展計劃。

    In written Cantonese or formal contexts, fillers should be removed. Using 嗰個 as a placeholder in an essay or formal email makes the writing look disorganized.

  • Mispronouncing the tones as 'go3 go3'.

    個個... 叫咩名話？
    嗰個... 叫咩名話？

    The filler must use the 2nd tone (go2). If you say 'go3 go3', it sounds like the word for 'everyone' or 'every one', which will confuse the listener.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

嗰個 (go2 go3)Level 5Hesitation Placeholder

Learn This First

To use '嗰個' (go2 go3) as a hesitation placeholder, learners first need to be familiar with the demonstrative '嗰' (that) and the general classifier '個'. This pattern builds on the literal meaning of 'that one' to stall for time while speaking.

Words in This Pattern

嗰个