「In-be穿」是一個自創的港式中英混合詞語，源自英文 in-between 的延伸，並以語音模仿方式融合中英語素。In-between 在英文中意指「在……之間」或「介乎」，通常用以描述兩個空間、階段或狀態之間的模糊地帶，難以準確界定或理解。
「In-be穿」在此基礎上加入了粵語動詞「穿」，取其「穿梭」、「穿插」的語義。
「穿梭」原意如織布的梭子般，在空間中頻繁來回移動；
「穿插」則指多個事件在時間上交錯進行，或在空間中交替穿行。
因此，這裏的「穿」可被理解為在某個空間內持續往來、相互通過及交替的動態現象；而「be」則來自英文動詞，意指「存在」或「狀態」。
綜合英文語素 in（處於）、be（存在），加上粵語「穿」，「In-be穿」不僅語音上近似 in-between，更進
一步表達出一種持續穿梭於兩者之間的狀態, 在流動與交錯中呈現形態與感受，並強調穿梭過程本身所建立及
展現的情境。
「In-be穿」所指涉的，是一種非二元、非定型、非靜態的存在方式。
無論是空間、狀態、角色、文化、情感或思想之間， 「In-be穿」並非停留於兩者之間某一點，而是持續地往
來、交錯與流動，構成一種穿梭式的存在。
「In-be穿」的動態可視覺形象化為以下兩張圖像:
圖1. 翻花繩的動態
圖2. 介乎兩者之間穿梭的動態過程
香港人曾喺英國殖民地統治之下，中英夾雜慢慢成為香港語言文化嘅一部分。例如：「send咗message畀
你」、「你feel唔feel到？」「我有個idea」、「傾project」、「check下先」、「我轉頭check下個 schedule」等。部分港式英語係抽出英文部分嘅發音，加上廣東話混合使用，語感先行，唔跟語法。例如「勾筆out bud」即係「out of my budget」。好多港式說法都係中英互相提出其意、互相翻譯，慢慢演變成一種本土講法。「add oil」就係一個例子，英文意思係「Go on! Go for it!」，係廣東話「加油」嘅直譯，而家已經被收入牛津詞典。
香港人經常鍾意玩語言，創造新詞，潮語亦係流行文化嘅一部分。所謂潮語，係指喺某段時間或者某啲群體
（特別係年輕人）之間流行嘅用語，通常喺互聯網上迅速傳播，慢慢變成社會文化嘅一部分。隨住時間推移，用字會有所演變，亦會出現新詞。例如曾經流行過嘅「老best」，就係將中文「老友」同英文「best」結合而成，反映咗港人創意同語言混合嘅特色。
至於「In-be穿」，暫時唔算係潮語，係我自己創出嚟嘅詞，連繫到我自己嘅practice。佢可以形象化我對表演藝術中「in-between」狀態嘅理解同發展，將我原本無法用語言好好表達嘅表演動態，變成一種可以文字化、概念化嘅方式。亦都連繫到我作為香港人嘅港式語感。
例句
形容詞: 呢個詞好In-be穿，連個讀音都係中英混合，語感好港式。
→ 形容詞用法用嚟描述詞語本身具備中英交錯、喺唔同文化之間流動、混合、交錯嘅特質。
動詞: 呢個詞已經In-be穿咗入我哋日常語感
→動詞用法用嚟描述「In-be穿」一詞本身帶有穿梭，喺語言中呈現出港人於中西文化流動嘅感覺。
我用自創嘅詞「In-be穿」嚟形象化自己嘅創作方法同美學態度。喺表演藝術入面，我好著重保持一種流動性，
拒絕定義，亦鍾意擁抱模糊。因為只要保持流動，藝術表達就可以自由咁穿梭，喺模糊之中多層次咁交錯。唔
係A，亦唔係B，而係喺穿梭之間打開更多可能性。「In-be穿」就係我用嚟講呢種美學嘅方式。我試圖用呢個
詞去理解表演入面啲無法單一形容、喺兩者之間不斷變化嘅流動狀態。
圖3 紋身圖
我十年前紋咗一個圖案，喺Superman個標誌入面加咗太極嘅陰陽符號，同埋Laban Effort Graph入面
「Light」↔「Strong」兩極，代表我一直對動作質感同力量流動嘅探索。我鍾意人、事、物、動作喺「Light
↔ Strong」之間穿梭嘅質感，動中有靜，靜中有動，唔係停喺某一極，而係不斷喺兩者之間交替，慢慢生成一
種身體感。
我其中一個持續探索身體動作嘅練習，都係喺「In-be穿」嘅狀態下去發掘動作。就係喺兩個動作之間，透過持
續流動同無限切割（好似圖2咁），去調節動作嘅質感、力度同大小，反覆咁來回。我唔係淨係做動作本身，而
係好著重喺兩個動作之間點樣穿梭，試圖搵出動作可以呈現幾多種唔同嘅動態可能性。
表演狀態本身係流動嘅、難以形容嘅「In-be穿」狀態。例如我喺表演入面，唔係「變成」角色，亦唔係純粹做
自己，而係喺角色同自己之間穿梭、遊走、交錯。同樣地，喺project嘅過程中，我會將能量、意念、角色向外
投射，佔據空間；而喺unproject時，就收返能量，回到自身，感受內在狀態，唔再「演」，而係處於「在」
與「唔在」之間。呢兩種狀態都要保持「In-be穿」⸺出與入、張與緊、現與潛之間不斷穿梭，喺能量出入之
間生成。
喺作品形式上，我唔希望局限自己喺某一種藝術界別，而係喺唔同discipline嘅知識層面之間穿梭。我重視藝
術內容可以被分享、被感受、被表達，喺模糊與交錯之中打開交流嘅可能性。
“In-be穿”in-be cyun1 is a Hong Kong-style mixed term created by combining Chinese and English. It is derived from the English word “in-between”, integrating elements from both languages through phonetic imitation. In English, “in-between” refers to “being between one and another” or “intermediate”, often used to describe the ambiguous area between two spaces, stages or states that is difficult to define or
understand precisely.
“In-be穿” builds on this foundation by incorporating the Cantonese verb 穿 cyun1, which carries meanings of “traverse” and “intertwine”. The Chinese term for “traverse” (穿梭 cyun1 so1) originally refers to back-and-forth movement, like a weaving shuttle frequently moving through space, while
“intertwine” (穿插 cyun1 caap3) indicates multiple events occurring simultaneously or the movement through space in an alternating manner. Thus, 穿 can be understood as a dynamic phenomenon of continuous movement, interaction and alternation within a specific space. The “be”, derived from the
English verb, means “to exist” or “state”.
Combining the English morphemes “in” (in a state of) and “be” (existence) with the character 穿, “In-be穿” not only phonetically resembles "in-between" but also expresses a state of continuous shuttling between two entities. It conveys forms and feelings within states of fluidity and intertwining, emphasising the context created by the shuttling process.
“In-be穿” refers to a way of existence that is non-binary, non-fixed and non-static. Whether between spaces, states, roles, cultures, emotions or thoughts, “In-be穿” does not remain at a single point between two entities. Instead, it signifies continuous movement, intertwining and flow, constituting a traversing existence.
The dynamics of “In-be穿” can be illustrated by the following two images:
Figure 1.
The action of forming
string figures.
Figure 2.
The process of navigating between two states.
Hong Kong people were once under British colonial rule, and the mixing of Chinese and English gradually became a part of Hong Kong's linguistic culture. For example: “send咗message畀你” (sent you a message), “你feel唔feel到？” (do you feel it?), “我有個idea” (I have an idea), “傾project” (discuss the project), “check下先” (let's check first) and “我轉頭check下個schedule” (I'll check the schedule later). Some Hong Kong English phrases extract the pronunciation of the English parts and mix them with Cantonese, prioritising language sensibility over grammar. For instance, “勾筆 out bud” means “out of my budget”.
Many Hong Kong expressions involve mutual interpretation and translation between Chinese and English, gradually evolving into a local way of speaking. A great example is the phrase “add oil”, which means “Go on! Go for it!” This expression is directly translated from the Cantonese phrase 加油 gaa1 jau2 and has now been included in the Oxford Dictionary.
Hong Kong people often enjoy playing with language and creating new words, making trendy slang a part of popular culture. These expressions tend to gain popularity within certain periods or among specific groups, especially young people, often spreading rapidly on the Internet and gradually becoming part of the social culture. Over time, the usage of words evolves, and new terms emerge. For example, the once-popular term “老best” combines the Chinese term 老友 lou5 jau5, which means “best friend”, with the English word “best”, reflecting the creativity and linguistic blending characteristic of Hong Kong people.
As for “In-be穿”, it is not yet a part of slang; rather, it is a term I invented that relates to my personal practice. It visualises my understanding and development of the in-between state in the performing arts, transforming the performance dynamics that I struggle to express in words into concepts that can be articulated. It also connects to my language sensibility as a Hong Kong citizen.
Sentence Examples:
Adjective: This word is very in-be穿. Even its pronunciation is a mix of Chinese and English, giving it a strong Hong Kong sensibility. → The adjective usage describes the word itself as possessing the qualities of intertwining Chinese and English, highlighting the characteristics of flowing between and blending different cultures.
Verb: This word has already in-be穿ed into our daily language sensibility. → The verb usage of “In-be穿” conveys the idea of shuttling, reflecting how Hong Kong people navigate between Chinese and Western cultures in language.
Creative Context
I use “In-be穿”, a term I invented, to visualise my creative practice and aesthetic. In the performing arts, I value maintaining a sense of fluidity, rejecting definitions and embracing ambiguity. As long as there is fluidity, artistic expressions can freely traverse and intertwine in a multi-layered manner within that ambiguity. It is neither A nor B but rather opens up more possibilities in the spaces in between. “In-be穿” articulates this aesthetic for me. I attempt to use this term to understand the dynamic state within a performance that cannot be described singularly and is constantly shifting between two states.
Figure 3. Tattoo design
Ten years ago, I got a tattoo that incorporates the yin-yang symbol of tai chi within the Superman logo, along with the "light" and "strong" extremes from Laban’s effort graph. Together, they represent my ongoing exploration of the textures of movement and the flow of energy. I enjoy the textures of people, events, objects, and movements traversing between “Light ⬌ Strong”, as there is stillness within movement and movement within stillness. It is not about remaining at one extreme but rather continuously alternating between the two, gradually cultivating a sense of bodily awareness.One of my ongoing practices in exploring body movement is to discover movement in the state of “In-be 穿”. This involves navigating between two movements through continuous flow and infinite segmentation (as shown in Figure 2), adjusting the texture, intensity and size of the movement, then repeating the back-and-forth process. I don’t focus solely on the movements themselves; rather, I emphasise the process of transitioning between two movements. This approach allows me to uncover the various dynamic possibilities that arise from these movements.
The state of performance itself is a fluid, indescribable state of “In-be穿”. For instance, in my performances, I do not simply “become” a character, nor do I act solely as myself; instead, I traverse and wander between the character and my identity, often intertwining the two. Similarly, in the state of
projecting, I send the energy and intention of my roles outward, occupying space. In contrast, during the state of unprojecting, I withdraw that energy, returning to myself and tuning into my internal state, no longer “performing” but existing in the space between “being” and “not being”. Both of these states require maintaining “In-be穿”, continuously navigating between output and input, expansion and
contraction, and presence and potential, generating energy inward and outward.
In terms of work format, I do not wish to limit myself to a specific artistic discipline. Instead, I traverse between various fields of knowledge. I value how artistic content can be shared, felt and expressed, opening up possibilities for communication within ambiguity and the state of intertwining.
KT Yau is a performing arts practitioner from Hong Kong, who primarily focused on questioning and connecting with the existence of the body. Her work begins with the body itself—something everyone possesses and embodies our existence—and extends to the actions and states of being it produces. She sees the body as a medium for perception and expression, exploring all unknown possibilities, including the construction of identity, the recording of traces, the formation of evaluations and the representation of relationships between individuals. Through these explorations, she reevaluates the body’s value, seeking a genuine and fluid dialogue between performance and viewing.
