huh

Meanings

1. Used to express doubt or confusion.
2. Used to express amusement or subtle surprise.
3. Used to reinforce a question.
4. Used either to belittle the issuer of a statement/question, or sarcastically to indicate utter agreement, and that the statement being responded to is an extreme understatement. The intonation is changed to distinguish between the two meanings - implied dullness for belittlement, and feigned surprise for utter agreement.
5. Used to indicate that one did not hear what was said.
6. Used to create a tag question.
7. Representing the sound of heavy breathing.
8. Representing a chuckling sound.
9. A kiai, shouted as a limb is swung in attack.

1. A surname.

1. The station code of Hung Hom in Hong Kong.

Etymology

Attested from circa 1600. Compare Dutch hè (“huh”).