II

Ⅱ U+2161, Ⅱ ROMAN NUMERAL TWO ← Ⅰ Number Forms Ⅲ →

Translingual

Alternative forms

• ii, ij
• II. (ordinal number)

Numeral

II (upper case Roman numeral, lower case ii)

1. two (2)
2. Second, especially in the names of monarchs or popes the second.
3. (inorganic chemistry) Specifying an oxidation state of 2
4. (spectroscopy) Describing an atom that has lost one electron

   He II ― singly ionized helium

See also

• Previous: I (1)
• Next: III (3)

English

Noun

II (plural IIs)

1. (Hong Kong) Initialism of illegal immigrant.
   • 1987 April 11, Jim Mann, “Border Net Porous : Hong Kong: Old Magnet for Chinese”, in Los Angeles Times‎:

     “When I came here eight years ago, it was easy to spot an II (illegal immigrant),” one British official here said. “They came across in dark navy clothes. Now, they come in designer T-shirts and Levis, and it’s hard to tell them from residents of Hong Kong.”

   • 1995 February 22, parliamentary debates (Hong Kong Legislative Council)‎, page 2228:

     Hong Kong can also follow the international trend of phasing out the rule that a child born by an II will automatically be granted citizenship of the place where he or she is born, in order to eradicate the problems of stowaways and II children.

   • 1999 March 2, “Truck Driver Arrested for Arranging IIs to Hong Kong”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎:

     The spokesman urged the Mainlanders not to put their lives at risk because hiding underneath a goods vehicle is very dangerous. He also reiterated that all IIs caught will be repatriated immediately, and their aidors and abettors prosecuted accordingly.

   • 2000 January 18, parliamentary debates (Hong Kong Legislative Council)‎, page 5:

     Conveying a wrong message that an II could not be repatriated once he succeeded in seeking legal aid for court proceedings on his ROA claim might result in a massive influx of IIs and large number of overstayers.

   • 2002 December, David Poon, “Ting Kok: a conservation issue”, in Porcupine‎, page 19:

     When there is sudden rustling of grasses and the weather is calm, you may guess that there must be something moving in the grass patch but ...What is it? A bird? A dog? An II (Illegal Immigrant)? Or a porcupine?

Chinese

Etymology

Initialism of English illegal immigrant.

Pronunciation

Noun

II

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) illegal immigrant
   • 2004 June 13, “「I I」「中華龍」「架勢鱷」盡顯心思 市民爭賜鱷女芳名”, in 《太陽報》‎:

     他的一番話，即時吸引市民回應，致電電台提供意見，一名區先生便提議，小鱷是「非法入境者，叫牠「II」最貼切不過」 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
     他的一番话，即时吸引市民回应，致电电台提供意见，一名区先生便提议，小鳄是「非法入境者，叫它「II」最贴切不过」 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]

     taa¹ dik¹ jat¹ faan¹ waa⁶, zik¹ si⁴ kap¹ jan⁵ si⁵ man⁴ wui⁴ jing³, zi³ din⁶ din⁶ toi⁴ tai⁴ gung¹ ji³ gin³, jat¹ ming⁴ au¹ sin¹ saang¹ bin⁶ tai⁴ ji⁵, siu² ngok⁶ si⁶ “fei¹ faat³ jap⁶ ging² ze², giu³ taa¹ “aai¹ aai¹” zeoi³ tip³ cit³ bat¹ gwo³”

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 2016 September 12, “與人蛇錄口供 出動「三色雪糕」”, in 《大公報》‎:

     「大Q」與非法入境者交手（illegal immigrant，俗稱II）經驗豐富，眾人不約而同認為，錄取警誡口供的過程最困難。 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
     「大Q」与非法入境者交手（illegal immigrant，俗称II）经验丰富，众人不约而同认为，录取警诫口供的过程最困难。 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]

     “daai⁶ kiu¹” jyu⁵ fei¹ faat³ jap⁶ ging² ze² gaau¹ sau² (illegal immigrant, zuk⁶ cing¹ aai¹ aai¹) ging¹ jim⁶ fung¹ fu³, zung³ jan⁴ bat¹ joek³ ji⁴ tung⁴ jing³ wai⁴, luk⁶ ceoi² ging² gaai³ hau² gung¹ dik¹ gwo³ cing⁴ zeoi³ kwan³ naan⁴.

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 2018 February 24, “網民熱話：東龍洲露營遇山賊　牛腩鍋冰鮮鴨齊失蹤”, in 《東網》‎:

     去得玩露營，理應帶夠食物，何故要偷？唔通有ii？ [Cantonese, trad.]
     去得玩露营，理应带够食物，何故要偷？唔通有ii？ [Cantonese, simp.]

     heoi³ dak¹ waan² lou⁶ jing⁴, lei⁵ jing¹ daai³ gau³ sik⁶ mat⁶, ho⁴ gu³ jiu³ tau¹? m⁴ tung¹ jau⁵ aai¹ aai¹?

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 2019 April 6, “【啹喀的後裔2】啹喀爸爸的退休生活　任家教會長、辦跑山慈善賽”, in 香港01‎:

     港英政府於1980年因人口急增，對中國非法入境者採取「即捕即解」，以控制本地人口。每天晚上，高山少年都會守在沙頭角、文錦渡等的山野間「捉II」。 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
     港英政府于1980年因人口急增，对中国非法入境者采取「即捕即解」，以控制本地人口。每天晚上，高山少年都会守在沙头角、文锦渡等的山野间「捉II」。 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]

     gong² jing¹ zing³ fu² jyu¹ 1980 nin⁴ jan¹ jan⁴ hau² gap¹ zang¹, deoi³ zung¹ gwok³ fei¹ faat³ jap⁶ ging² ze² coi² ceoi² “zik¹ bou⁶ zik¹ gaai²”, ji⁵ hung³ zai³ bun² dei⁶ jan⁴ hau². mui⁵ tin¹ maan⁵ soeng⁶, gou¹ saan¹ siu³ nin⁴ dou¹ wui⁵ sau² zoi⁶ saa¹ tau⁴ gok³, man⁴ gam² dou⁶ dang² dik¹ saan¹ je⁵ gaan¹ “zuk¹ aai¹ aai¹”.

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)