Hu
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.”
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."
Very uncommon; singular "they" is far more widely used and understood as the gender-neutral option in English.
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ said hu would arrive around noon.
Etymology
From Chinese 胡 (hú). Doublet of Wu. For less common variants, see 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.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include Hu: