pron
Uncommon
Hu
hoo
Hu (pron) means a gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun (they/them/their), used instead of he/she. Example: “Hu said hu would arrive around noon.”
pron
1
A gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun (they/them/their), used instead of he/she.
"Maybe, but if his/herstory's any guide, hu has hu work cut out for hu."
— Christoph Hitz, Hu, Me? (2008)
"It's the vice-president's job to support the president and take hus place when hu is away."
— Mikhail Epstein (2007)
"Hu said hu would arrive around noon."
How to use Hu
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishOne of several invented gender-neutral pronouns proposed as an alternative to he/she — much rarer in practice than singular "they."
When to use it
Very uncommon; singular "they" is far more widely used and understood as the gender-neutral option in English.
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_____ said hu would arrive around noon.
Etymology
Comes from Chinese 胡 (hú), and is a doublet of Wu; less common variants are covered at Hu.
Frequently asked questions
What does “Hu” mean?
The word “Hu” means a gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun (they/them/their), used instead of he/she. In plain terms, one of several invented gender-neutral pronouns proposed as an alternative to he/she — much rarer in practice than singular "they.".
How do you pronounce “Hu”?
“Hu” is pronounced hoo (/hu/ in IPA).
How do you use “Hu” in a sentence?
Here is “Hu” used in a sentence: “Hu said hu would arrive around noon.”
What part of speech is “Hu”?
“Hu” is a pronoun.
Is “Hu” a common word?
“Hu” is an uncommon word in modern English.
What is the pronoun 'hu' used for?
Hu is a gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun, used instead of he or she to refer to a person without specifying gender, covering the roles filled by they/them/their.
How is 'hu' different from singular 'they'?
Both hu and singular 'they' serve as gender-neutral ways to refer to a person of unspecified or nonbinary gender, but hu is a distinct dedicated pronoun rather than a repurposed plural form. Singular 'they' is far more widely used and recognized in everyday English.
Is 'hu' a widely used pronoun?
Hu is one of several gender-neutral pronouns that have been proposed as alternatives to he or she, but it is not as commonly used or recognized as singular 'they' in mainstream English.
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