The word Gong Nui, or Gong neoi () can be directly translated to "Hong Kong Girls" and is commonly used on Hong Kong Internet forums as well as in the press. It represents a negative stereotype portraying Hong Kong women as worshiping money, narcissistic, being obsessed with foreign culture, and suffering from the so-called "Princess Syndrome" which means girls or non-married women requesting others to treat her like a princess.
History
Past
"Gong nui" () was a neutral word used to describe ordinary Hong Kong women. Hong Kong women were usually compared with Chinese women and Taiwanese women due to the Chinese family background and similar Chinese sociocultural background. In the past, compared to women in South East Asian countries, Hong Kong women were described as being independent, subjective and ambitious in work, which are much more outstanding and positive. Along with the increasing number of female occupations at the management level, Hong Kong women are even positively described as "career women" and "tough women".
Present
The negative usage of gong nui began in 2005 when several fights and discussions started online. In February 2005, a Hong Kong girl identified as "Jenny" complained about her boyfriend for not paying $63.8 for snacks on online forum, which is later known as the "63.8 Incident". After the posts, a lot of Internet users negatively commented and responded to Jenny's behaviour, which led to an argumentative conflict between Jenny, her few supporters and attackers. "Gong nui" was then used to describe Jenny. This word does not represent all women in Hong Kong but being used to describe all the women who are arrogant, proud and shallow.
The word "Hong Kong Girls" was coined online and there are several main forums either defending or attacking this phenomenon.
The "63.8" Incident" The Hong Kong girl, Jenny, posted their story on the online forum, she.com and let netizens comment on it.
Jenny 2005-02-11 12:08我去citysuper買左幾十蚊野，但我男友眼白白睇著我俾錢都唔幫我俾，我覺得佢幾cheap<<We went to citysuper and bought things for a few bucks. My boyfriend just watched me pay but did not pay for me. I think he is quite cheap.>>Jenny 2005-02-11 12:29我買左幾包零食，佢都有份食同俾意見，跟著就排隊俾錢喇，咁個cashier話$63.8，咁我就好自然Q埋雙手等佢俾錢喇，點知佢好似無意識咁，郁都唔郁，咁我扮攞銀包出黎等佢醒目下喇，佢都仲係咁，我咪自己俾law…. 雖然買野之前餐飯&買野之後齣戲都係佢俾錢，(d零食都係睇戲時食，佢都有份食ga ma) 我都係同佢開始左無耐，真係要諗清楚同唔同佢一齊呀! 總之$63.8就睇清楚佢喇<<I bought a few packs of snacks. He also gave his opinion on what snacks to choose and what he would be eating. Then we queued to pay. The cashier said HKD$63.8, so I naturally folded my arms and waited for him to pay. However, he seemed to have no awareness and did not move at all. Then I pretended to take my wallet out and hoped that he would be smart enough to pay. But he was still like doing nothing, so I had to pay myself… Although he had paid for the meal and the movie tickets before we went to supermarket, (the snacks are for the movie, and he would also eat). I just started dating him for a short time. I think I had to re-consider if I had to be with him! Anyways, I see clearly who he is with $63.8.>>
Situation
"Gong Nui" come from the phrase "Hong Kong’s girl". Originally, it is a neutral phrase. But after many Hong Kong internet forum users use this word to describe the females they met in Hong Kong which are materialistic, snobbish, superficial, self-centered and selfish, this word become a negative phrase. There are no formal characteristics to describe "Gong Nui". According to "Kong Girls and Lang Mo: teen perceptions of emergent gender stereotypes in Hong Kong", respondents suggest that "Gong Nui" always expects others to comply, full of vanity, bad-tempered and materialistic. Although this phrase normally addresses specific individuals, it becomes a representative of Hong Kong females’ characteristic when comparing with other place females. According to research, 50% of the respondents say that it is common to find characteristics of Kong Girls among Hong Kong female.
Sometime, "Gong Nui" is used to mention a lady which is combined of "gold worshipper" and "Princess Sickness". "Gold worshipper" means the workers who dig gold. In this case, it means female which consider money as a measure of all standards of behaviour. "Princess Sickness" is a popular slang expression closely related to the "by imperial decree" attitude. In the eventual development of the "Gong Nui" stereotype, "Gong Nui" becomes synonymous with women with "princess sickness", those who act as if they were princesses waiting for others to serve them.