The Facebook page of “United for Democracy: Global Solidarity with Hong Kong” has lots of one-liners greeting the latest phenomenon erupting from the streets of Hong Kong, particularly the more frenzies district of Mong Kok.
Explain gau wu to your foreign friends says the page administrator, then goes on with:
Gau-wu (9-wu):
[1] In Putonghua; Shopping,
[2] In Cantonese; Continue Occupy Mong Kok in the name of shopping
The term originates from a Chinese tourist (Bernice Yeung: I would say it should be started as “mainland Chinese”, to distinguish from the Chinese used in Taiwan.) who claimed she participated in a pro-government rally in Hong Kong for “fun” and for “gau-wu (shopping)”.
After the clearance of Occupy Mong Kok, the Chief Executive urged Hongkongers to shop in the area to support local businesses [who had been suffering from a lack of custom for 60 days because of Occupy]. Instead, protesters flooded back to Mong Kok claiming they are following the Chief Executive’s advice and are there to shop. Hence the birth of the “Gau-wu movement”.
Thus there are no protesters in Mong Kok, Hong Kong citizens are just normal pedestrians walking along the streets.
Forleria Lau Mendez says: the term here is supposed to be pronounced in Mandarin but when it is also an F. word, in Cantonese – hahaha. Oh I love Cantonese.
The way gau is pronounced, depending on the tone, changes its meaning and in one way of saying the word it becomes the F. word – only in Cantonese though.
Dianne McKenzie: Very good. The Hong Kong government really does not know when they are being made fun of.
It’s all part of the Umbrella Movement.
note: areas in Admiralty and Causeway Bay still occupied.
